


The V2 Killing Game - Rantaro's Wish

by Bumblebeeflight



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Angst and Feels, Dangan Ronpa Spoilers, Danganronpa V3 Spoilers, Other, Shipping, drv3 spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-11-09 06:46:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 56,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11099097
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bumblebeeflight/pseuds/Bumblebeeflight
Summary: Endgame V3 spoilers.Rantaro is put into a new killing game along with fourteen other students. Little does he know that this killing game will set course a spiral of events. And that in the end, he would strive to end the killing games forever. This is his story.





	1. Prologue - Executing The Plan

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to PikaBrightheart for providing me with the character names and SHSL talents! With this fanfic, I'm hoping to show Rantaro's entire killing game he participated in. It's going to be long, and hard, but I hope you'll all stick with me to the end! Writing this fanfic so far as been a lot of fun for me, and it's a learning process. It's really fun to think of new scenarios with different characters. But I hope to tie all the details that you know about Rantaro in V3 by the end of this fanfic. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you so much for reading, since it means a lot to me!

When Rantaro first came to, he found himself inside a cell. The cell he was in didn’t have much light, aside from a candle situated on the wall. Cracks split some parts of the floor. And,on top of that, there was no sound. The silence was overwhelming. How could a place like this not be noisy? As he shakily rose from his bed, Rantaro tried to recall how he got here. 

He’d been traveling the world, looking for his lost, youngest, little sister. He preferred to travel by boat. The open, crisp air, and sound of the waves crashing against nearby rocks...The seagulls that flew overhead, the sun in the morning, the stars at night....and most of all, the wind against his face.

He closed his eyes, reliving those moments, before reopening them. Perhaps in his travels, he’d accidentally crossed into forbidden territory. And maybe that’s why he was in this prison cell, right here, right now. _Well, if that is the case,_ Rantaro thought, _then I had it coming._

Sighing, he ambled over to the bars that barricaded him in. If nothing else, he could at least look at his surroundings. Across from him, was another, empty cell. Glancing further down, he could see more cells in both directions. To the right, however, he could see stairs leading upwards. Ah. So he was underground. That explained why there wasn’t a small barred window with sunlight pouring through.

But no matter how much he looked, there was no guards in sight. Or prisoners for that matter. _What’s going on here…?_ He wondered, scratching his head. _There should at least be a few other prisoners down here. So why--_

Suddenly, with a rattle of chains, someone screamed nearby. “AHHHHH!! W-What is this…? Why am I…?” There was the sound of footsteps. “Heyyy!! Um...anyone here? I-I’m trapped…! Who would do such a cruel thing…! I never did anything…! Please, let me out of here....!” They cried.

“I can help you!” Rantaro replied. “Just...where are you?!” 

“U-Um...I don’t know...there’s some stairs to my right though!”

“All right, hang on!” He said. Rantaro stared at the door to his prison cell. Maybe it _was_ possible to open it. But he didn’t have anything that could serve as a lockpick… Still, he placed his hand over the cold iron anyway. And, much to his surprise, it swung open with ease...like it was never locked in the first place. 

_This is no ordinary prison cell,_ Rantaro thought, stepping outside. Or rather, these are no ordinary prison cells. _No guards, the doors are unlocked...there’s definitely something going on here. And I’m going to get to the bottom of it. But first...I have to find that other prisoner._

He started walking up the line of cells. He’d only walked a few steps when he’d found them. It was a girl, wearing a red peacoat. She had short blonde hair, with streaks of it dyed blue. Her wrists had red marks all over them, no doubt from the pair of handcuffs on the floor beside her. Her legs were trembling, and she withdrew further into the cell as he approached.

“Y-You!” She said, jabbing her finger at him. “You’re the one who’s going to save me…?”

“Yes...I am.”

The girl’s legs stopped shaking, and she let out a sigh of relief. “Ah...I’m sorry. I thought you might have been a guard, since you found me so fast.”

Rantaro tried the same trick he’d used on his own cell’s door. Sure enough, it swung open, banging against the wall a little bit as it did. The girl briskly walked outside her cell, and bowed to him. “Thank you…” she said. She brushed back a little bit of hair that was in front of her right eye. “My name is...Reika Yoshino, the Super High School Level...Tailor.”

“Ah, so you’re skilled in making clothing?” Rantaro asked.

_Although I’m not skilled in making clothing myself, there’s similar things that I can do._

Reika nodded. “It’s kind of been a hobby of mine for a while now...I first inspired by someone who wore a black and white tie.”

“That’s oddly...specific.” Rantaro commented.

Reika chuckled. “Ahaha...yeah...I guess I remember weird things sometimes, huh…? Wait a minute. You never told me your name!” She scowled, crossing her arms.

“Oh, I’m sorry. My name is Rantaro Amami. And I guess I’m the Super High School Level Adventurer.”

“You....guess?” She inquired, tilting her head. 

He shrugged, “Well...people just starting calling me that over time. But I guess it’s fitting, since I do like adventuring.”

“Then you have to tell me…! Did you learn anything interesting in your adventures?”

“Yeah, a lot, actually. Like...a typical main course in France usually has cheese or desserts in it.”

“You went to France?! Why did go there?!” She exclaimed.

Rantaro stared at the bracelets around his wrist. “It’s...a long story. Maybe I’ll tell you sometime,” he glanced up, surveying their surroundings. “More importantly, we should make sure no one else is down here.” He began to walk away, continuing to glance down the rows of prison cells.

 _Hmm...you know, where even is this prison? Actually, perhaps we’re in England. That would explain some things._ Rantaro pondered.

“Heyyy!! No fair…! You’re leaving me in suspense here!” Reika complained, tagging along after him.

The lines of prison cells seemed endless. Most of them were seemingly unoccupied. But towards the far end of the hallway, they found five more prisoners. The first one they found was someone wearing a pure black jacket, and red scarf. His black hair was spiky, with long, uneven, bangs. He also had a few ear piercings, and his eyes...they had a slightly dead look to them, and felt cold as ice. Rantaro felt a little shiver go down his spine.

“Tch. What cheek. I could’ve gotten out of there myself, dumbass!” He spat. It took Rantaro a second to realize he was twirling something in his hand...an arrow, to be precise.

“From the looks of it, I think the opposite is true...although that’s just my opinion.” Rantaro said nonchalantly. 

“Gah, now I remember why I hate people like you. Listen up, you better not get in my way. Because if you do I’ll…” he trailed off, although...he stopped twirling around his arrow.

“Ah, yes...of course. I’ll do that. But can you at least tell me your name first?” Rantaro asked.

“Why should I tell someone like you?” He snorted. “Fine. The name’s Isamu Kitagawa...the Super High School Level Hunter!”

_Ah, so that would explain the arrow. I was half convinced he was an archer, but I guess not._

“A hunter, huh. So you hunt--”

Isamu’s face transformed into a scowl. He took several steps closer to him, his face only inches away from Rantaro’s. Rantaro could practically feel Isamu’s breath on his face. “Of course I hunt animals, idiot! I don’t hunt anything else! Use that damn brain of yours for once.”

Rantaro didn’t say anymore. _That’s not what I meant..._ he thought, as Isamu stormed past them, not even bothering talking to Reika as he left. “Well...so much for that I guess.” Rantaro commented dryly. _Maybe sometime we could talk about fishing….if he’s even willing to let me talk to him._

“So much for that...?” Reika repeated. “That was cold!”

“I’m used it. Although...if that’s how he truly feels, it will just make it worse in the end…” Rantaro mumbled.

“Huh? What are you talking about?” Reika asked.

Rantaro smiled. “Ah, it’s nothing! I was just rambling.”

Reika furrowed her brows, but didn’t say anymore. The twosome continued, freeing the next prisoner from their cell. This time, it was someone wearing a butler’s uniform. They had blonde hair as well, and they wore glasses.

“Ah, I thank you two kindly!” He said, bowing just as Reika had. Placing his hand over his heart he continued, “It’s been awhile since someone has regarded me this way. Although, perhaps it was just because I’m used to serving others.”

“You’re welcome.” Rantaro replied back. 

“You’re too kind. But as you’ve probably already guessed...I’m a butler. No wait, that’s not how you start introductions, is it?” He asked, scratching his face with a finger. But before Rantaro or Reika could reply, he continued on, “I apologize. Let me start over. My name is Minoru Yamaguchi, the Super High School Level Butler. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.” 

“Wow…! You’re so polite!” Reika exclaimed, her eyes shining and her hands clasped.

The butler averted his gaze.“Ah, no...I can’t possibly be that polite. I’m just a butler...but thank you anyway. I hope we can all get along well, since this is quite a rough start.”

“I’m sure we can.” Rantaro assured. “We just need to get to the bottom of this.”

“Ah, your optimism helps. Well...if you’ll please excuse me...I’m going to do some investigating on my own.” He bowed to them once more, and began to walk past them. But then he halted, looking at them over his shoulder. “And uh...you, there…” he stammered, trying to find the right word.

“Reika.” Reika answered immediately.

“Yes...Reika. I’d like to talk to you more sometime.” He smiled thinly.

_Oh…?_

“I’ll look forward to it!” Reika called after him.

The butler nodded, and then proceeded down the hall. It took Rantaro a moment to notice Reika was staring at him. “What is it?” He asked.

“Do you think he knows somebody who wears an eyepatch?”

“...What?” He had no idea what she was getting at.

“Ah, sorry...forget what I said.” Reika hurried on ahead, to free the next prisoner.

 _Hmm…still...he was quite courteous. I wonder how many years he’s been a butler..._ Rantaro thought as he followed after her. The next prisoner was a girl, with frizzy, orange hair. She wore a brown school uniform with a little bowtie on it, and she wore some weird necklace.

“Do you believe??” She said abruptly, a huge grin on her face. She leaned in closer, “Do you believe in...mysterious lifeforms?? Because be amazed!! I shall prove it to you that they exist!!” She dug out a crumpled up piece of paper from her pocket.  


When she unfolded it, it was a drawing of...of...something. It kind of looked like...a monkey. Rantaro had seen monkeys when he’d gone to one of the tropical rainforests. Sadly, the monkey decided it didn’t like him. It had thrown the remains of a banana at him. That...hadn’t exactly been fun, but there were definitely worse things that could have happened.

“Is that a...monkey?” he asked.

The girl puffed out her cheeks. “NOOOO!! It’s not a monkey, dude! It’s...a Sasquatch!!! Bigfoot!! The best crypto creature to date, to be honest. I mean there was the Chupacabra case in Texas too…” She started rambling on about a bunch of various creatures...so much so that her sentences started to become incoherent.

Reika, who’d put her hands over her ears suddenly yelled, “We get it!!”

The girl stopped talking. There was a long, unnatural silence. The twosome stared each other down for about a minute. Then, the girl blinked, and she started talking again. “All right, all right. You want to know my name, am I right?? Well, either way, the name’s Eri Morioka, Super High School Level Cryptologist, just in case you weren’t paying attention.” 

“Hey Eri, why do you think we’re here?” Reika asked.

“Oh, that. On to the boring stuff, huh? Well...to be honest...Who the heck knows! I sure don’t. But hey, if we got kidnapped by aliens, that would be sweet. Actually, now that I think about it...I should check this place for aliens!! See ya!” With that, she was darting down the hallway, humming a strange tune.

Rantaro scratched his head, “Well...she sure was...something.”

_Although her passion for cryptic creatures reminds me of myself, in a way. He thought._

Reika sighed, “That’s all you have to say? Well...regardless...let’s free everyone else.”

They headed over to the next prison cell, only to find the prisoner had already escaped. They were leaning against the wall with one elbow. It was a boy with short, auburn hair. His eyes were an unusual orange color, and he wore a black school uniform with a striped blue tie. 

“How did you free yourself?” Rantaro asked.

“Oh ho! Someone’s finally asked me that question! And the answer is...not even I know!” He snapped his fingers, “Must be the old magic trick! Open sesame! Yeah, that’s how I got out.”

“Ah...I see.” Rantaro said.

The boy’s eyes widened, taking a step back.“W-What? You don’t believe me? Ohh then I know! What’s a bear’s favorite type of video? A stream! Get it? Because the video and what the bear likes to eat…”

“I’m sorry to say this, but...that wasn’t funny.” Rantaro confessed, sighing.

“Aww man...well...My name’s Toshi Handa, and I’m the Super High School Level Comedian! Although...most people don’t think my jokes are funny, like you.”

_For a comedian, he’s definitely unusual. Perhaps that’s what makes him so unique._

“I think you should have added something about salmon in there too…” Reika mumbled under her breath, so that only Rantaro could hear her.

“In any case, have you seen my dear brother? He’s around my height, and he’s...like...kind of weird...but cool, you know?” 

_Does he not know where his sibling is either…?_ Rantaro wondered, when suddenly somebody else spoke.

“I’m right here, you moron. I was just resting.” All three of them swung their heads around to see who spoke. They watched the door to the prison cell across from them swing open. It was a boy with brownish gray hair. He wore the same uniform as Toshi, but he had a mask over his mouth. “I swear, I can never catch a break. No one even understands me anyway.” He grumbled, hunching over.

Toshi ran over and clasped the boy’s hand. “My bro!! You had me worried there for a second! I thought the sharks had gotten you!”  


The boy slapped his brother’s hand away. “Why sharks, of all things? I swear, you’re ridiculous,” Suddenly he noticed Rantaro and Reika standing there. “Oh, lovely... _more_ people to _talk_ to.” He walked over to them, although he kept a noticeable distance between them. “I’m Kenji Handa...Super High School Level Denist. Hooray, I introduced myself. _Amazing_.” He did a slow clap.

_I never expected to meet a dentist here, of all things._

“Ah, I sympathize with you.” Rantaro said. 

“Oh, really? How nice. You don’t sit there and tell all your patients to stop eating so much sugar.” Kenji complained, rolling his eyes.

Rantaro shrugged, “Actually, I hate sugar.”

“Wow, finally! Someone who understands my pain.” He turned to stare at his brother. “Why can’t more people be like him? Actually, why can’t you be more like him?” He pointed in Rantaro’s direction. “You stuff your face with desserts all day. Especially cookies.”

Toshi scratched his head, “Hey, I just have sugar cravings from time to time. Don’t you?”

“No. And I don’t want to.” Kenji shook his head. Taking a deep breath he said, “Ignore my idiot brother. The point is, we’re in some prison. If I’m relieved of being a dentist, then I don’t really care. But I guess I can see where everyone else went.” He shuffled away, Toshi quickly following after him. Although, as they were leaving, he gave them a thumbs up.

“Well...this is turning out to be eventful in more ways than one.” Rantaro commented.

Reika nodded. “Yeah...I think I’m starting to agree…”

“Um... hello.” Someone suddenly said. A few seconds later, they emerged from the shadows. It was a girl with a brown, fluffy jacket. It had white polka dots all over it, and she wore a skirt. Her hair was short, dark brown, and she had emerald green eyes. “Are you the ones who have been freeing everyone?” she inquired.

 _There’s something about this girl, Rantaro thought, but I don’t know what. Although she has this strange air about her…_ "Yes,” he responded. “Although it seems the rest of you don’t need our help.”

“I’ve been freeing everyone down there, actually. Someone you freed let me out. A butler, I think. He said he couldn’t stand to see people locked up like this. So...I agreed to help free everyone else.” She explained, putting a hand on her hip. “Although, what you’ve done is admirable. I think most people would have left us trapped in here.”

“I was just doing what I thought was right,” Rantaro replied. “It’s nothing special.”

The girl laughed. “Either way, I like that about you. I think it shows a lot.” Her lips curved upward in a smile. “My name is Hiroka Amari, by the way. But unfortunately, I can’t remember my talent.” She suddenly feigned interest on the ground as she said this.

“Hmm? You can’t remember your talent?” Rantaro asked, crossing his arms. “That’s strange. Do you know why?”

Hiroka clutched her arm, “No...I don’t. Nothing comes to mind. Maybe I’m suffering from amnesia or something.” She glanced back up at him. “You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you…?”

“No...sorry. Maybe there’s something that can help trigger your memory…” he mused, putting a hand under his chin.

“Ah no, you really don’t have to do that. It’s fine. I’ll remember on my own, I’m sure.” She suddenly noticed Reika there. “Hey, you haven’t said anything. Oh wait...are you shy?” 

“I am not shy!” Reika bursted out. “I just...was admiring your outfit...because I’m a tailor.”

“Oh this?” Hiroka gestured to her outfit. “It’s nothing much. My grandmother just made it for me.”

Reika’s eyes gleamed. “Can I look at it in further detail sometime? I think it would help me improve my outfits!”

Hiroka nodded. “Yeah, I’d love to. And gah, I got off topic!” She shook her head, and turned back to face Rantaro. “If I still can’t remember my talent later, then I’d gladly take up your offer. For now, I’m going to see what I can find out about this place. Why would someone put us all in prison…? It doesn’t make any sense…” Hiroka muttered to herself as she left. 

_Someone who can’t remember their Super High School Level talent, huh. I wonder what it is._ He thought. Rantaro went in the direction Hiroka had gone. If what she’d said was true, then there was no doubt the other Super High School Levels were down there as well. Reika walked beside him without raising any objections. Whatever the reason was for her tagging along with him, he was grateful. Her presence reassured him. 

And maybe when they all got out here, he’d ask her if she wanted to search for his little sister with him. Of course we’ll get out of here, Rantaro told himself. We’ll get to the bottom of this mystery, and then it will all be over...right? He shook his head. There was no use thinking about it now. For now, they needed to meet the remaining Super High School Levels.

Further down the hallway, they bumped into someone. “Wahhh!!” They cried, crashing to the floor.

“Ah, sorry!” Rantaro apologized. “I didn’t see you there!”

The person shakily rose to their feet. “Ah, no it’s okay...It was my fault anyway...wahhh I’m so clumsy...it’s embarrassing…” They stepped into the candle light. And when they did, Rantaro stood, frozen in place.  
They had, spiky, short, light pink hair with an ahoge. Their eyes were mechanical...with thick lines underneath them. They wore a metallic pink scarf. On top of that, their body seemed to mainly consist of dark blue armor. Several lights and buttons were all over them. 

“Are you...a robot?” Reika asked beside him, pointing a finger at them.

They tapped their fingers together, “Y-Yes...I am. I’m sorry if that’s weird…” She continued to tap her fingers together, not bothering to make eye contact.

Despite being a robot, they sounded and appeared just like any other human. “It’s not weird, it’s just...a little surprising.” Rantaro admitted, recovering. 

“O-Oh...is that so…? Well...I’m glad. I hope we can all get along…” The robot clasped their hands together as they said this. A warm, little smile spread across their face. “My name is...Hiikari. I’m the Super High School Level Robot...but you knew that already.”

 _Either way, it seems she was built with a maturing AI. She has an amazing response rate._ Rantaro thought.

“Hiikari, huh? It’s a nice name. I think it suits you.” Rantaro smiled at...her...him…? 

Reika tilted her head, “Hey Hiikari, I’m sorry if this sounds a bit strange, but what should we call you? Like...he, she...them...that kind of thing.”

“Oh, um...she will do…” Hiikari replied. She turned to Rantaro, “Uh...how do you think we’ll get out of here? I don’t like the dark…” She tugged on his shoulder sleeve, shrinking back. It reminded him of something a little child would’ve done.

Rantaro placed a hand on her shoulder. “It will be fine. I’m positive. We’ll get out of here soon.”  


Hiikari nodded. “Y-Yeah...it will be fine...I’ve just got to work up my courage! I can tough it out…! ...I think.” She removed Rantaro’s hand and let go of his shirt. “Thank you very much. I’ll be okay for now...so...I’m going to go find everyone else…!” The robot waved to them as she left, before disappearing from their view.

“She was cute…” Reika said, staring off in the direction the robot had gone. 

Rantaro nodded. “She kind of reminds me of someone I know…” Before he said anything else weird, they continued down the dark hallway. They had walked a considerable distance before the silence was interrupted by loud yelling.

“It’s better to be active then to sit around all day! I do a daily training regimen every morning!!” Someone was saying.

“And I say, exercise is a waste of time. When you’re someone as high up as me, you’ll definitely want to spend more time on your work.” Another monotoned.

“Spend more time on work?? I’d rather make sure I was eating healthy and sleeping early!!” The first one fired back.  
“Ugh, do whatever you want. As long as you don’t bother me, I’m good. I have better things to do than talk to you.” The second one groaned.

Rantaro and Reika slowly approached the shadows. Sure enough, two people were there, bickering with each other. One of them appeared to be a boy wearing a golfer’s hat. He had short black hair, and a green outfit, with white diamonds all along his sleeves and shirt collar. The other was a girl with dark red hair in a ponytail. 

She wore glasses and a lab coat. And in her hand, she a held a clipboard. She adjusted her glasses as she noticed Rantaro and Reika approach. The boy swung around to see what it was, fist raised. But the moment he saw it was just them he relaxed.

“Geez, man, don’t scare me like that!” he grumbled. Sighing, he said, “Well, whatever. What brings you to these part of the woods?”

The girl put a hand over her face. “Are people like you always this dumb?”

The boy clenched his teeth, balling his fists. “What…” he breathed, “Did you just say?”

The girl adjusted her glasses. “Ah, nothing that you would understand.”

“Why you--”

“Stop this!” Rantaro cried, getting in between them. The girl glared down at him with an iron cold gaze. “This is ridiculous. Listen, we’re all in the same situation. For now, let’s all try to work together to solve this mystery.”

The boy lowered his fist, letting his hand drop to his side. Shoving his hat down his face so that they couldn’t see his expression he said, “Thanks dude.”

Although the girl just raised her head and narrowed her eyes. “I don’t believe in cooperation, but you do peak my interest. What’s your name, boy?” she demanded.

 _No one has looked at me that way in a long time...not since…_ Suddenly, those words rang in his head once again. _What you’re doing is pointless! Don’t you have anything better to do? Why are you so desperate? What will you do when this is all over?_

For a moment, Rantaro remained silent before saying, “I’m Rantaro Amami...Super High School Level Adventurer.”

“Rantaro, you say? Well, Rantaro...My name is Michi Okane, Super High School Level Game Developer.”

“Mmm...a gamer developer?” Rantaro mused, one hand under his chin. 

“That’s right. And I hear that game developer’s have busy schedules. If you'll please excuse me.” She turned briskly on her heel, her heels clipping on the floor as she left.  


The boy beside him fixed his hat. “Don’t let her get to you. She’s been sayin’ that to everyone.” He nudged Rantaro in the ribs with an elbow. “The name’s Ryuu Takata by the way! An’ I’m the Super High School Level Golfer...although I wish I wasn’t.” He added.

“Oh, why’s that?” Reika asked.

“I guess ‘cause I’m a more “go go go” type of guy. I should have been the Super High School Level Exerciser! Nothin’ feels better in the morning than goin’ for a nice run.” He stretched as he was saying this. 

_He’s a lot different than me, Rantaro thought. I just accepted the talent others gave me. But maybe he has a point. What if my talent isn’t actually being an Adventurer?_

“Exercising...that’s an admirable trait.” Rantaro agreed. “I suppose I did get some exercise too, in my own way. I’ve done a lot of traveling.”

“Oh really? Oh yeah you did say somethin’ about bein’ an Adventurer. Could you tell me what country invented golf?” 

“Mmm...yes, I can. For the most part, it seems it was started in Scotland...although there has been some debate as to whether or not that’s true.” Rantaro stated, shrugging.

Ryuu whistled. “Phew, still...that’s amazin’. Even I wouldn’t have known that, despite bein’ a golfer.”

“You learn a lot when you’re traveling.” Rantaro replied nonchalantly.

“I’d love to hear more sometime,” Ryuu agreed. “But I suppose...for now...we got a case to solve. So I’ll see ya later man.” He gave Rantaro a big grin before he left.

Reika came to stand beside Rantaro,“That Michi Okane though...she said some really cruel things to you.” 

“Yeah...but like he said, I’m not going to let it get to me.” Rantaro hurried ahead, with Reika slowly following him. Despite what he’d told Reika, deep inside him...he knew that was a lie. But he pressed onwards, finding the next Super High School Level.

“Ahh, if only I knew what the day would bring~!” a girl was humming to herself. She had shoulder length dark blue hair. She wore a dark blue bowtie, with a light blue coat draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were closed and her hands were clasped as she continued singing her strange song.

“Um...excuse me.” Rantaro said.

The girl opened one eye. “What do you think the day brings?”

“Prison.” Rantaro tried.

The girl puffed out her cheeks. “That’s not what I meant. I was referring to the weather outside.”  


“Oh the weather? I don’t know...sorry.”

The girl sighed, crossed her arms. “Ah, no matter. It’s my own loss, I suppose.” She muttered to herself. Brushing her hair behind her ear, “If you don’t mind...I’ll introduce myself. My name is Ayumi Inaba...Super High School Level Meteorologist.”

“Ah, so that’s why you were asking about the weather!” Reika exclaimed.

“Indeed. The weather’s been my friend for quite some time, actually. Rain always fascinated me.” She got a faraway look in her eyes.

“I experienced being in the rain a lot in my travels.” Rantaro added.

You know, come to think of it...we could be anywhere. There’s no definite prove this is England, after all. I must have thought that because I went there recently...

“Ah, so you like to travel? It’s not something I’m particularly interested in. But if you are, I guess that’s what truly matters.”

“I guess you could say that. Although I have another reason for wanting to travel.”

“Hmm, I’d be curious as to what you have to say. Perhaps traveling heightens the ability to predict weather patterns.” Ayumi shook her head. “Anyhow, there’s no way for me to use my talent here...at least, not right now. I think I’ll follow the others and see where they’ve gone.” Ayumi hurried away before either of them could respond.

“What’s up with her…?” Reika mused.

“Beats me.” Rantaro said. _A meteorologist, huh...I wonder what made her become a “Super High School Level…”_

They pressed onwards, rounding a corner. When they were almost at the end of the passageway, Rantaro froze. His limbs were paralyzed, and he drew in a few, quick, deep breaths. Three people stood before him. Three people...he knew very well. It was evident from their yellow green hair. They were his oldest siblings: Koemi, Naoki, and Sachiko. Naoki wore a light purple sweater. Her hair was tucked behind her ears, revealing a little, golden earring. 

Koemi wore a simple white school uniform with a red bowtie. She also wore a little necklace with a star on it, and several bracelets. Sachiko had long hair, and she wore a black dress with little snowflakes on it. She wore a ton of bracelets on both hands, several rings, a necklace, and some earrings. And all three of them were here. Here, in this weird prison just like he was. The three of them had been talking amongst themselves, but they too, froze at the sight of him.

_Why are my sisters here? How did they get here? This place is dangerous...from the looks of it, anyway. And given the mysteries that shroud this place..._

After a long silence, Koemi finally broke the ice by saying, “Big brother…?”  


Rantaro’s lips curved upward in a smile. “Yeah...it’s me.”

Naoki was the first to move. She threw her arms around him in a hug. “I was so worried…! I thought I’d never see you again!”

Hearing those words touched a deep part inside of him. He returned the hug. “Yes...so was I.”

They stayed like that for a few more moments. Then Sachiko spoke up, “Hey, I hate to rain on your parade, but please stop that. I can’t bear to look at it any longer.”

Naoki and Rantaro broke apart. Naoki pursed her lips, “I just wanted to hug him.”

Sachiko wrinkled her nose. “Aren’t you a little old for that kind of sappy stuff? Well, I am. And plus it’s just gross.”

“It’s not gross! It’s what you call a touching reunion! You need to work on your social skills more, Sis. I bet you cry when we aren’t looking!” Naoki retorted, balling her fist.

“I do not! I’m not a baby, like you!” 

“Stop this you two.” Koemi stepped between them. “What will we accomplish by fighting? Right now, we found our big brother. That’s all that matters, right?” She smiled in Rantaro’s direction.

Sachiko crossed her arms, averting her eyes. “Pfft, I guess.”  


Koemi walked over to Rantaro. “It’s been a while, Big Brother. I’m guessing you still haven’t found Hanako…”

Rantaro shook his head. “No...I haven’t. But I’m not going to give up.”

“I see you haven’t changed. You’re always the same Big Brother that you’ve always been.”

“Um...excuse me...I’m sorry to interrupt but...if you’re all here, doesn’t that mean you’re Super High School Levels?” Reika concluded.

“Yeah, we are! Gosh darn it, Sis! We were supposed to be introducing ourselves!” Naoki complained to Sachiko. Scratching the back of her head she said, “Ah...anyways. My name is Naoki Kuge, and I’m the Super High School Level Carpenter! Although I mainly just carve out little figures for people…”

Koemi chimed in, “I’m Koemi Kuge, twin of Naoki! And I’m the Super High School Level Florist! Pleased to meet you!”

There was a slight pause before Sachiko spoke. “The name’s Sachiko Ito. And I’m the Super High School Level Actress, just so you’re all aware!” She spat.

Reika giggled. “It’s a pleasure to meet all of you too. I’m Reika Yoshino...the Super High School Level Tailor.” Then she paused for a moment before saying, “Wait. If you're all siblings... why are all your last names different? Oh wait.... don't tell me.... Ah!! Is this a scandalous situation??” she asked.

Rantaro fidgeted with one of his bracelets, “...It's complicated but I'd rather not talk about that now…” Rantaro murmured. Suffice to say, the three sisters standing before him now were actually his step sisters. But still, he felt it was his duty as their elder brother to take care of them. In his free time, he’d researched what would be considered “feminine topics.” 

Because of that, in addition to his appearance, most people assumed he was playboy. He was used to it, although it slightly offended him that that was their immediate conclusion. So he a bit different from the norm. Who cared?

Sachiko gestured to her current outfit, changing the subject, “Oh a tailor? Maybe you can make me some outfits, since the one’s I have are getting old.”

Reika’s eyes lit up. “I’d love to! Tell me what you want and I’ll make it right away!”

“We can do that later,” Rantaro said. He turned to Naoki, “Are you the last Super High School Levels here?”

Naoki nodded. “Yeah, we are. Everyone else has gone past this point...to the room behind us.” She gestured to the set of iron doors a few feet away. “I dunno what will happen when we go in there...but I guess we’re going to find out, huh?”

 _This place is so massive we've barely even touched the surface... we'll have to properly explore it later._ Rantaro thought.

“Of course. If it’s the key to solving this mystery, then I’m willing to bet our answer lies beyond those doors.”

With Reika, Koemi, Naoki, and Sachiko following behind him, they approached the doors. For some reason, as they did, Rantaro felt the atmosphere change. It felt more heavy...more despairing. And most of all, what was this feeling of apprehension? _No...we’ll get out here. We definitely will._ He tried to reassure himself, but it was futile. 

Whatever laid beyond those doors...Rantaro was sure his life, and everyone else’s, would change forever. He laid a hand on the freezing iron handle. Taking in a deep breath, he shoved the doors open, and entered into the room beyond.

Inside, the room was completely dim. It was around the size of gymnasium, and candles lit every corner of the room. At the far end was a podium stacked with papers. Nearby, the walls were scrawled with illegible handwriting. Tally marks were written in the floor as well. As far as he could tell, nothing in this room seemed to be of any use. _Why would a room like this be in a prison?_ He wondered. _It’s unnaturally large. In fact, maybe this room is used for--_

“Wh-What is this?” Reika cried.

“This room’s even bigger than a stage.” Sachiko commented dryly.

“I-I don’t like this…” Naoki edged closer to Rantaro, “It kind of looks big enough for a monster to fit through.”

“There’s no monsters here.” Rantaro reassured. Or at least, I hope.

“Normal prisons don’t have rooms like these…” Koemi muttered.

“That’s because...this isn’t a normal prison. Just like I thought.” Rantaro realized. He thought back to all the things he thought was strange. First of all, the location. From what he could tell, it seemed this place was remote, and far away from society. Secondly, he’d originally thought maybe they’d been sent to England. 

But after more careful consideration, he’d concluded they could be anywhere. More specifically, places like Germany, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Poland, Ukraine, etc. And lastly, the prison itself. The unlocked prison cell doors, no guards, and now...this. All these tied together in some way. There was only one answer. “This is all part of your plan, isn’t it?” Rantaro demanded, raising his voice.

“Rantaro, what are you doing…?” Reika whispered. “What if--”

The entire ground seemed to tremble in that moment. Almost like...something huge was making it’s way towards this place. “Everyone, get away from the door!” Rantaro ordered. 

They didn’t question him, because the trembling was getting worse. Quickly, they all darted away as a giant robotic dragon plowed through the entrance. It was twice the size of them, nearly taking up half of the room.

“Good bearning!!” The mechanical creature screeched. Its eyes glowed a brilliant orange as it towered above them.

“Kyahhhhh!!” Reika screamed, falling back.

“B-Big Bro, you told me there wouldn’t be any monsters here!” Naoki added.

“A real life dragon?? This is the discovery of the century!” Eri exclaimed, digging out another piece of crumpled up paper.

“This is a High-Performance Action Humanoid Murder Weapon, “Exisal!” The dragon replied.

“W-Why...is there a big, scary robot here…? Did I fail…?” Hiikari cried, clutching the sides of her head.

“Of course you failed, you damn robot!” Isamu spat.

“Hey, cut it out! That wasn’t nice!” Hiroka chimed in.

“I’ll f-fight you if I gotta!! I-I’ll kill this...this...dragon!” Ryuu yelled, drawing back a fist.  


“Everyone, calm down. If this thing wanted to kill us, it would have done so already.” Rantaro stated. All eyes turned to him. His feet began moving on his own, until he was standing right in front of the Exisal. “If you’re threatening us like this, there must be a reason. So, tell me...what do you want us to do?”

“Hmph, you’re pretty smart.” The dragon grunted, lowering its head. 

“Please don’t say it!” Another voice in the dragon begged.

“We’re going to have you do...a killing game.” Another intoned.

Rantaro’s composure slipped in that moment. “W-What…”

“T-They didn’t say what I think they just said...right?” Hiikari asked.

“B-But I’m pretty sure they just said--” Hiroka started to say, but the Exisal cut her off.

“We’re going to have you participate in a killing game!” The dragon repeated, in a much more upbeat tone.

“Hell yeah, I’m getting excited just thinkin’ about it!” Another agreed.

“K-Killing…!” Another cried.

“Heh, it’s been awhile since the last one. Father will be excited!” Said another.

And, as if on cue, a voice echoed throughout the chamber. “Ahh, my cute children, you know me best!”

“F-Father!” The dragon cried. Suddenly, a hatch on top of the robot flew open. Five bears of different colors leaped into the air, and landed on the floor below. They were half white, and half red, yellow, blue, green, and pink.

And, in that fleeting moment, a similar bear rose up from behind the podium. Two little wings fell off its back as it landed. The bear was half white and half black, with a devilish red eye and a sinister grin on the black side.

“I’m the headmaster of this place! Yes, I’m Monokuma! Nice to meet you!”

“Hooray, Father’s here!” The red one cried.

“Ahh, it’s so good to see you, Father!” The pink one agreed.

“You made a wonderful entrance as always, Father.” The green one said.

“You children are as cute as ever!” Monokuma complemented, although, he’d unsheathed his claws.

“Wahhh?! What is it, Father?” The red one asked, shrinking back.

“You children are so cute you didn’t even introduce yourselves! How is this going to help the progression of the story if these students don’t know who you are?!” Monokuma growled.

“A-Ahhhh Father’s mad now!! Better introduce ourselves!!” The blue one yelled, his paws on the sides of his face.

“W-We are the Monokuma Cubs!” They began, striking weird poses.

“I’m Monotaro, the leader of the Monokuma Cubs!” The red one introduced.

“I’m Monosuke, more or less the brains of the group.” The yellow grumbled.

“I’m Monokid, and I love to watch the gore happen!” The blue one screamed.

“I-I’m Monofunny, and I hate gore and death and…” The pink one said, before proceeding to throw up.

“And I’m Monodam...the quiet one.” The green one said.

Monokuma let out a sigh, placing his paws on his belly. “Ahh, that feels better getting unnecessary introductions out of the way. Also, my favorite type of video is not a stream!” He unsheathed his claws again. “Whichever bastard said that, I’m going to kill them!”

Toshi raised his hand. “That...might have been me? I mean...I’m a comedian, I make bad jokes!”

“Anyhow...I want to learn more about this “killing game.”” Rantaro said, changing the subject.

“Ahhh!” Monokuma exclaimed. “I’m glad one of you bastards finally asked! Upupupu!” The bear laughed. “I want you “Super High School Levels” to participate in a killing game against each other!”

“W-Why would we do something like that?!” Toshi demanded.

Cupping a hand under his chin, Minoru agreed, “Killing each other...that is truly a horrid idea…” 

“There’s no way I can agree to this!” Hiroka cried.

“Eh? You don’t want to?” Monokuma tilted his head. “You stupid heads don't even know where you are right now do you?? Is that brain of yours only good for feeding zombies??” 

“DID SOMEONE SAY ZOMBIES?!” Eri exclaimed, practically leaping into the air.

“We're in an old style castle, although it seems to be based more on fantasy than real life castles. I can tell because--” Rantaro began to say, but Michi cut him off.

Sliding up her glasses, Michi said, “--Ahh finally, somebody who realized this layout reminds me of a castle you'd see in a game. However, it was blatantly obvious to me from the start.” Something glimmered in her eyes upon finishing that sentence.

“WAIT YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO KNOW ALL THIS!” Monotaro cried. He glanced up at Monokuma,“Right, Father?”

Ignoring him, Monokuma continued, “Ah, but you’ll target each other’s lives...as enemies.”

 _Enemies…?_ With a jolt, Rantaro glanced over to where his sisters and Reika were standing. The four of them were huddled together, although Sachiko stood a noticeable distance away. _I don’t want to lose anyone else...but what if...I become a murderer during this…? What then…?_

“E-Enemies…?” Hiikari stammered.

“Hah, finally, something better than pulling out people’s teeth.” Kenji grunted.

“Wh-What are you saying, bro??” Toshi exclaimed.

“More importantly, how we gonna kill each other?” Isamu asked, twirling his arrow.

“What are you saying…?!” Ayumi demanded.

“Are you really okay with this…?” Naoki asked, her eyes darkening.  


“He wouldn’t have asked if he thought otherwise, Sis!” Sachiko retorted.

“Hey, cut it out you two. There must be some reason…” Koemi mused.

“It revolves around the “Class Trial!” Ahhh, hold on.” Monokuma announced, pressing on. Suddenly, he yanked out a script, “So just kill each other yadda yadda. You know has anyone realized how much this dialogue is the same each time? Yikes, I might get called out on self-plagiarism!! Okay, everyone who knows this feel free to just skim over these couple of paragraphs!”

The Monokuma Cubs leaped up onto the podium beside their father, “We’ll do the explaining!” Monotaro said. “When a murder happens among you, you all participate in the Class Trial! In the class trial, the “guilty” party that carried out the murder and the rest of the “innocent” students have a showdown. 

“During the Class Trial, we’ll have you debate, “Who is guilty?!” Monosuke added. 

“Then, after “Voting Time” whoever got the majority of votes and they’re the correct answer... Basically, the guilty party that carried out the murder gets “punished” while the rest of the students continue living together. However, in the case that the wrong person is chosen as guilty...The guilty party that got away with their murder gets to live, and everyone else gets “punished.” Monodam intoned.

“And what would this...“punishment” be?” Rantaro inquired.

“B-Big Brother! Y-You can’t be serious!” Naoki cried.

“I’m surprised as well…” Reika added.

Monokuma covered his mouth with his paws. “To put it bluntly, the “punishment” is execution!” 

“E-Execution…?!” Hiikari exclaimed.

“N-No way…” Hiroka agreed.

“Tch, that’s how the world works, dumbass!” Isamu spat.

“Exactly. It’s quite fitting for the murderer, given their crime.” Michi stated. Pushing her glasses up her face she continued, “But...also quite fitting for those who couldn’t figure out the culprit.”  


“Ah, that’s the sad state of reality! It really is cruel.” Monokuma commented. “Anyhow...no killing method is out of question. Death by striking, shooting, drowning, falling, strangling, bombing, electrocution, blood loss...Please kill however you want, whoever you want, whenever you want!”

 _However…? Whoever…? Whenever…?_ Rantaro repeated. _No...this is worse than I imagined. A murder could happen anytime...and anywhere…_ He glanced back to where his sisters were standing once more. Slamming his eyes shut, he thought, _No matter what...I’ll do what I can for them._

“I absolutely won’t do it.” Rantaro announced abruptly. “I won’t kill.”

“Ahh, I love that mindset! It makes it more entertaining! But you know...people with those mindsets are also more likely to kill later!”

Cold sweat broke out on Rantaro’s forehead. Although he tried to remain composed, internally,  
Monokuma’s words had struck home. _Nothing I say is certain, he’s right...but...I still want to believe that I’ll stay true to myself._

“I-I won’t do it either!” Naoki chimed in. 

“Upupu... It’s not a matter of whether you want to or not. We’re going to make you do it.” Monokuma argued.

“M-Make us…?” Toshi stuttered.

“Sounds good to me.” Kenji said, rolling his shoulders.

“I...I can’t believe this! This isn’t real...right?” Reika asked.

As he was saying this, Monokuma and his children broke into devilish laughter. “I’d like to think so, but it’s not. This is the reality we’ve come to.” Rantaro shook his head.

 _A killing game...now everything makes sense. The reason why we’re here...is to kill. And to solve the murders...or die trying. It will be unfair, it will be cruel, and most of all...sorrowful. But...no matter what...and no matter what Monokuma says...let’s do our best to survive. Because that’s all we can do now._

He clenched his fists. With this resolve in his heart, he thought, _This is my story...the story of how I became the “Super High School Level Survivor.” And… the story of how I would one day try to end the killing games for good. My name...is Rantaro Amami. I’m not a suspicious guy, so...nice to meet you._


	2. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 1, Ordinary Days -

Rantaro stared at the Monopad he’d been given in his hand. He watched as the screen lit up, displaying his name and talent. As it was doing so, Rantaro thought back to what had occurred several minutes earlier. Monokuma had finally come to the realization that no one had left the dungeon. 

“Hey did you idiots even look around?? AHHH, I should have thrown you all in separate rooms!! See kids this is what happens when you try to cut corners!!” Monokuma had complained.“Although we all wanted to meet the Super High School Level students anyway!! Who cares about where all our time. And money. Get put towards!! My children have been been breaking their backs building this place!! Wait, which of you decided to thrown them all in the dungeon??"

“It was Monodam!” Monokid had answered, crossing his arms over his chest.

“ARRRGHHH SEE A FINE EXAMPLE RIGHT HERE. IF YA WANT A JOB DONE RIGHT DO IT YOURSELF!! YOU KIDS ARE ALL LET DOWNS!!” Monokuma growled. “NOW GO EXPLORE RIGHT NOW OR I’LL TORCH YA!” He’d leaped up off the podium, and sailed through the air. When he landed he was standing on top of the hatch of the Exisal. At that moment, Rantaro could tell he’d meant what he said. 

Hastily Rantaro responded, “All right. We’ll explore. But if you don’t mind me asking...do we get any maps?”  
And that was how he was staring at his Monopad, here and now. A beep resounded throughout the room. Rantaro watched his Monopad load up, projecting and glaring the killing games rules at him:

_Community life in________is not restricted by a time limit. In the case that a murder occurs on school grounds, the Class Trial will be held among all participants. If the guilty party is correctly identified during the Class Trial, only the guilty party that carried out the murder will be punished. In the case the guilty party is not correctly identified during the Class Trial, everyone in the innocent party will be punished._

_In the case of the guilty party’s victory, the guilty party will graduate from________and will be allowed to leave for the outside world. In the case of the innocent party’s successive victory, the killing game ends once the last two people remain standing. _______and _______will be closed during “night time” between 10pm and 8am._

_Any violence against Monokuma, the headmaster of ________, is strictly prohibited. Monokuma will not participate in any murder. The Monopad is a valuable article, so please do not break it. The “Body Discovery Announcement” will be broadcasted once three or more students discover a corpse. Investigation of________ is permitted. No particular restrictions apply. Any student that violates the school regulations will be disposed of by the Exisal._

_So...they really are serious about this. And what’s with all the blanks? Is it simply because we didn’t explore yet? For some reason, this worries me._ Rantaro thought, lifting his face from his Monopad.  
“Those are some fitting rules for a killing game,” Michi stated, adjusting her glasses. “It’s well structured and on point, if I say so myself.”

“What I’m concerned about...are all those blanks.” Rantaro said. There had to be some reason for Monokuma not telling them where they were. And they were going to find out, for sure.

Minoru put his hand under his chin, “I must agree...just how badly does this bear desire for us to explore?” He knitted his eyebrows. “This is all part of some larger scheme, from the looks of it.”

Eri raised her hand, jumping up and down. “Ooo, ooo I know!!” 

Ayumi spoke up, “Perhaps by checking the weather patterns, I may be able to deduce where we are. It’s nothing guaranteed though, since nature is always changing.”

“GUYSSS!! DUDES. HELLO?? EARTH TO SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS!! SUPER HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS WE DON’T LISTEN!!” Eri screeched, drowning out all their conversations.

Hiikari collapsed onto the floor, her hands over her ears. Her whole body was trembling from head to toe. When she glanced back up at Eri, she jammed her eyes shut. 

“Hey, it’s okay.” Hiroka leaned down next to a still-trembling Hiikari. She placed a hand on the robot’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be afraid. Some of us are more sensitive to loud noises than others. Isn’t that right, Eri?” She swung her head back around to stare at Eri.

Eri was holding her paper from earlier. And as Rantaro peered more closely at it, a rip had already sliced through half the paper.

_Why would she do that...?_ Rantaro wondered. He’d thought back to the moments when her eyes gleamed. They both happened in the face of a crypto creature...but now that he thought about it more, she seemed to like drawing.

“Y-Yeah...sorry...I got carried away because you all wouldn’t listen to what I had to say.” She apologized. 

Slowly, Hiikari’s eyes reopened.She blinked several times, giving Eri a long, hard gaze. “D-Do you...really mean it…?” she asked in a small voice.

Eri nodded. “I do…”

Hiikari smiled once again, that small, but warm smile. It was something that only she could make. He watched as she rose to her feet, and clasped Eri’s hand in hers. “I-I knew you weren’t a bad person after all...!”

“Oh for the love of god, make this bullshit end.” Isamu hissed, killing the mood. He continued his incessant arrow twirling, almost like someone spinning a basketball on one finger. “So you wanna get lovey dovey and sappy! Who cares! ‘Cause I sure as hell don’t! This is a killing game we’re in! One of you could be dead the next day for all I care. What then?” He raised an eyebrow, and once again, ceased twirling his arrow around.  


“Quit it!” Hiroka spat, storming right up to Isamu so that they were face to face. Pointing at him with one finger she continued, “Why do you always pick on Hiikari? Is that what makes you so “great?” You bully the weak so you can feel good about yourself!”

Isamu gripped his arrow tightly, so much that his veins were showing through. Gritting his teeth he said, “Why you…! You don’t know a damn thing about me! Don’t go just saying what you please! Arrghhh! That’s it! I’ve had enough! I’m gonna explore this place on my own, if it’s the last thing I do!” He shuffled to the doorway, one hand in his pockets. Everyone moved out of the way to let him pass. Seconds later, they stared at an iron door, still rattling from being slammed shut.

“I’d like to see you try!” Hiroka called after him. A few moments later she let out a sigh, “That guy is a real piece of work. He should really be more considerate about what he says to others.”

“N-No...it’s okay, I promise!” Hiikari disagreed. “It was my fault from the start anyway…”

Hiroka shook her head. “No, it wasn’t.That idiot started everything. I’m going to have to have a little chat with him later.”

“H-Hey Eri, what were you going to say…?” Hiikari asked, changing the subject.

“Ah, actually...nothing important.”

“It’s got to be, if you made such a big deal about it,” Kenji monotoned. “You remind me of a patient I had to deal with last spring. The second I pulled out his tooth, he started screeching like a howler monkey.” 

_Ah. That would explain my monkey incident._ Rantaro thought. He distinctly remembered the monkey hollering afterward. 

Toshi snapped his fingers. “I remember him! Wait...that was my friend.” He realized, his shoulder drooping.

“In any case, I’d like to hear what she has to say.” Kenji continued, as if his brother had never spoken.

Eri swallowed. “Ahh...well...I was just thinking…” There was a long moment of silence. Everyone was leaning forward. _Why isn’t she saying--_ Rantaro began to think, but he was cut off by Eri.

“That we’re actually on an alien spaceship andthat’showwe’reherenowandwhythere’scrazyrobotbearsandwhyeverythingisgoingtobeokay!” She said, her eyes shining.

“I have no idea what she just said!” Toshi announced. 

“I hate to break this to you, but if I remember correctly...my brother like..said we’re in a castle or something I don’t know and I don’t really care.” Sachiko disagreed.

“Ah, now that you mention it, I do recall him saying that. Excuse me, but...whatever did you mean when you said we’re in a “fantasy castle?” Minoru inquired, adjusting his square glasses.

“Oh, that?” Rantaro shrugged. “I’ve traveled and seen lots of castles, you know. So at first I assumed we were in England. But…” He wagged a finger at them, “Upon closer look, this castle appeared more like a fantasy one. So that’s why I concluded it must be a place like Windsor Castle. Since Windsor Castle is said to have a “fictional” appearance, after all.” he elaborated.

Everyone stared at him with widened eyes and gaping mouths. It was common knowledge to him. Rantaro had to think of everywhere his youngest sister could have gone. If only he hadn’t been so stupid then, maybe she’d be here now. No...being here was worse than being lost right now. Being here meant...people were going to die. 

And there was no way he’d accept his youngest sister being dead. That’s why...he had to make sure to protect his three oldest sisters right now. It was all Rantaro could do at this point. _Just focus on all of us surviving,_ Rantaro thought. _We’ll get out of this somehow. We don’t have to play into Monokuma’s hand. He never specifically said anything about _not_ killing anyone…_

“Hey, everyone,” he began, “What if we all split up and investigated? Then we could come back and regroup.” Rantaro suggested.

“Mmm...that doesn’t seem like a bad idea, Big Bro. I mean...I guess we can try.” Naoki mused.

“I agree. It sounds like a solid plan.” Koemi added.

“Aye. You think of some good ideas, Captain!” Toshi agreed, trying his best to impersonate a pirate.

_Captain, huh. I guess it is kind of fitting...since I do prefer to travel by boat._

Hiikari giggled. It sounded just like a human’s laugh too. “Y-You’re pretty...uh...amusing!” She said, struggling to find the right word.

“Wh-What...really??” Toshi exclaimed.

Ryuu nudged Toshi in the ribs. “All right you two lovebirds, let’s get movin’! We gotta at least make five laps around this place! At least!”

“F-Five?? I don’t think I can run for that long…” Hiikari’s shoulders slumped.

“Oh my...well, I guess Toshi’s dead.” Kenji joked. “It seems I’ve discovered his body. What a _tragedy_.” 

“Hey!! Quit telling everyone I’m dead!” Toshi interjected.

“Sometimes I can still hear the sounds of his _annoying, irritating,_ voice that drives me up the wall.”

Reika came to stand by Rantaro’s side. She smiled, “They seem to get along well...don’t you think?”

“Yeah. Kenji’s a lot like Sachiko in some ways.” Rantaro agreed.

Reika rested her head on one hand. “Oh really? I didn’t notice…”

Just as she was finishing that sentence, Toshi darted over. He gave Rantaro a slap on the back. “Hey, before we going exploring...I just wanted to tell you something, man. You...You’re definitely our leader.” 

Rantaro blinked. _What…?_

Noticing his silence, Toshi continued, nodding to himself. “Yeah, man. You rallied everyone together! That’s really cool! Keep up the good work! But for now...I gotta go! Let’s talk again sometime though!” Toshi grinned as he left, going to join Ryuu and Kenji. Rantaro and Reika watched as everyone exited the room, until it was only him, Reika and Ayumi.

_“Our leader…?”_ Rantaro pondered.

“Hmm? What is it?” Rantaro asked Ayumi, noticing her silence.

“I was just mulling over what Monokuma said. So…this “game” ends when only two people are left remaining?” She asked, her eyes darkening.

“Well, that is what’s stated in the rules…” Reika agreed.

“...It would appear so.” Rantaro admitted, balling his fist. _Which means...even if my sisters _did_ potentially survive...one of them would be... _dead__. Rantaro slowly realized.

“So this killing game is as unpredictable as nature...which means... _nobody is safe_.” Ayumi muttered. 

“Ahhh…!! That’s horrible…! Monokuma really is cruel…!” Reika nodded. 

“No please, don’t mind me. I must simply be overthinking things. Heh, I never expected it to get to me this bad…” Ayumi continued rambling on as she left, her arms crossed. Soon only Rantaro and Reika were left. 

“I guess we should go explore then…” Reika said. Pointing a finger in the air she continued, “Hmm...but where should we go...?” 

Rantaro cupped his hand under his chin. “For now, I think we should get to the first floor. Then we’ll decide from there.” He started heading towards the set of iron doors. 

“Ah!” Reika ran to catch up to him, her red peacoat swaying as she did. “Good plan…!” She breathed. 

Rantaro and Reika exited the room, letting the doors slam shut behind them.They continued down the hallway, and climbed up the stairs at the far end. When the reached the top, they were greeted by blazing, blinding lights in all directions. Rantaro jammed his eyes shut for a moment, before slowly opening them. 

The floor looked like he expected. Red carpets crept their way down hallways and up and down staircases. The floors and walls were golden, the light from nearby candles and florescent lights glared before his eyes. In the center, towards the entrance, sat a giant, golden statue of Monokuma. In the statue, he was reaching for a fish with his claws. And below the statue was a little fountain of water encircling it. 

Upon a closer look, there were actual fish in it of various shades of red, green, and blue. Glass stained windows ran all the way up and down the area. So this is the main entrance hall. Rantaro concluded. He saw a pair of red doors, its frame embedded with gold. There was no doubt about it. That was the way outside. It just had to be, if this castle worked the same as any other. 

“Where do you want to go?” He asked Reika. 

She stammered, taking a step back. “H-Huh? You’re letting me decide...?” 

Rantaro nodded. “You seemed like you wanted to go somewhere earlier. Have you been to a castle?” 

“Yes...although I think there was a talking cat there... Oh!! We should have checked the prison for him!” Reika let out an audible gasp. 

“Wait. Let me get this straight. You--” 

“--Ah, I remember now. I wanted to go to the throne room. Maybe there’s a Treasure!” Before Rantaro could reply, she was already glancing around the area. After a moment she turned around and said, “Throne rooms are usually on the upper floor, right...?” 

Rantaro nodded. “Yeah, definitely. Otherwise it wouldn’t be much of a castle…” He followed after her as she slowly climbed the stairs, one at a time. When they arrived at the top, they were greeted by a giant, golden door. He exchanged a glance with Reika before shoving it open. Inside, just as anyone would have expected, was a large room. 

A red carpet made its way to the throne on the far side of the room. Additionally, the throne sat beneath a canopy. Beside it, was another, slightly smaller throne. Here, however, the walls and floors were made out of marble. And the windows weren’t stained glass, but normal windows. Sunlight filtered the room, adding to the atmosphere. 

“Looks ordinary,” Rantaro commented. “Also I don’t see any “Treasure.”” 

“Ordinary??” Reika exclaimed, her hands over her heart. “I...I think it looks amazing! The architecture is nice too…” 

“Mmm, not really. It looks like a standard throne room in a fantasy.” Rantaro disagreed. “Although...if Toshi said I’m the leader, am I also the king?” Rantaro mused, gesturing to the throne on the far side of the room. 

Reika sighed, clutching one of her arms with one hand. “I suppose you’re right…” she paused for a moment before saying, “But...I think saying you’re the king is a little too much...” They exited the throne room, and made their way to the next area. 

They decided to take a right down the hallway. There were two doors on either side of the hallway, sitting across from each other. At the end of the hall was a small table, and a vase with red roses sitting in it. From what he could tell, there had to be more to this area. based on the curve of the wall, and the carpet. 

“Hey...do you think if I had a rose...and I put it in that vase, it would heal me?” Reika mused beside him. 

Rantaro shook his head. “That’s impossible.” He headed to the first door on the left. Grasping its handle, he swung it open with ease. Upon entering, he found a small library. Rows of shelves towered above them. All of the shelves had glass cases over them, making it impossible to get the books. Each of them had a little keyhole, however. The room itself wasn’t very well lit, probably due to the candles and books. There were a few lights on the ceiling though. 

“Hmm, why are these books behind glass?” Rantaro wondered aloud. 

“Good point...but I’m not sure either. We don’t have any keys on hand so…” she trailed off. 

“Then I could put my diary in there for safe keeping.” Rantaro said abruptly. 

“You keep a...diary?” Reika stammered. 

“...Yeah it’s my travel journal.” _What’s so wrong with keeping a diary? Naoki keeps one_. He thought. “Let’s come back at a later time.” Rantaro decided, before he said anything else. 

Finding nothing else of interest, they entered the room across the hall. The room there was completely different than either of them imagined. To their right was an empty counter, with a cash register and various other products behind it. To their left was what looked like some antique store. All the items were stored in glass cases. The items mostly consisted of weird plushes, medals, statues, masks, and jewelry. Although in the center...rested a crown. 

_I wonder if that crown is secretly protected by lasers…_ Rantaro wondered. 

“Beartings!!” Familiar voices suddenly cried. A second later, the Monokuma Cubs appeared out of nowhere. 

“Is that supposed to be “greetings?” Rantaro asked, raising an eyebrow. 

Monotaro nodded. “I thought of it myself! Although my siblings don’t give me any credit…” he sighed, before continuing. “Anyways...you guys seemed to be poking around here, so we came to send you a little warning…” Monotaro trailed off, crossing his arms. 

“You absolutely, _can’t_ steal that crown!” Monokid announced, swiping his paw over his electric guitar strings for emphasis. A horrid sound ricocheted throughout the room. 

“And…” Monosuke pushed his glasses up his face, unfazed, “...if you do try to steal it…” 

“You’ll be killed by lasers.” Monodam said bluntly. 

_Ah, so I was correct. It’s to be expected. This is an old style fantasy castle after all. I wouldn’t be surprised if this castle had a few twists_. Rantaro thought. 

“K-Killed? By...lasers??” Monofunny cried, before throwing up. 

“Um...anyways!” Monotaro continued, adjusting his scarf, “The point is, you can’t steal that. Have fun continuing your investigation!” 

“Bear-bye!” They all cried, before disappearing again. 

“Huh...so I guess we can’t look at it after all…” Reika murmured. 

“I figured as much.” Rantaro replied, shrugging. 

They left the room behind them, and rounded the corner. Sure enough, there was more to the hallway. Although there was only a set of double doors nearby to their left. Shoving the doors open, they entered the next room. The floor was made out of old, brown bricks while the wall was made out of old, orange bricks. 

Candles lit the room, burning brightly. To their right, a black spiral staircase led upward. In the center of the room, however, was something that resembled a round table. No. It was more accurate to say it was the round table, with fifteen chairs in all. Above it was a brown, brick, arch, with four pillars around the table. Weird little pieces of paper hung from the arch. And...beyond the round table was a door with a little window on it, letting sunlight pour through. Surprisingly, Michi and Sachiko were here. 

“Ah, here come the nuisances.” Michi scoffed. She jotted down something onto her clipboard, making little “Tsk, Tsk” sounds as she was doing so. 

“Huh? What are you doing here, Brother? Can’t you see Michi and I were talking about something important?” Sachiko growled, playing with one of her rings. 

“Of course they can’t,” Michi said matter-of-factly. “They’re too busy doing childish things. Us, on the other hand, are doing serious work.” She flicked her red hair. 

“Pfft, yeah. I’ve got way better things to do.” Sachiko agreed. 

“Listen, we just happened to walk in here…” Reika began saying, but Rantaro shook his head. 

“Sachiko...are you always like this?” Rantaro inquired. This wasn’t the Sachiko he knew and remembered. She’d sounded like her usual self when they’d first reunited. She always had a bit of a sharp tongue, but not to this extent. And more than anything, he remembered her asking him to read to her. They were princess stories, but still, he’d loved seeing that grin on her face when he’d finished. But now... 

Sachiko raised an eyebrow at him. “Huhhh?? Don’t you _know_ me, Brother? Ohh pfft, I forgot, you’ve been gone for years...searching for somebody who’s already dead!” She spat, breathing heavily. 

Rantaro clenched his fist. “...She’s not dead.” 

“That’s what you think! Naoki and Koemi think the same! They just don’t want to say it out of respect for you! But me? Pfft, after becoming an actor, hell no!” 

“I concur. Give it up, _Rantaro_. You’re distressing my assistant. Be gone. Now.” Michi hissed, venom dripping into her voice. 

Once again, those words echoed in his mind: _What you’re doing is pointless! Don’t you have anything better to do? Why are you so desperate? What will you do when this is all over?_

“...I understand. Let’s go, Reika.” Rantaro said, not bothering to even glance at Michi or Sachiko as he left. They left through the door beyond the round table, and stepped outside. The wind brushed against his face. They were standing on a marble path, with a small wall, built low enough so if he wanted to, he could rest his arms on it. And he did, taking in the view. Nearby them was an ocean, glittering in the setting sun’s rays. The waves lapped and splashed against the rocks. And to his right, was a vast hilltop, with trees encircling it. The hill had various breeds of flowers, all swaying in the breeze. For a moment, Rantaro closed his eyes, taking in the calmness of nature. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, Reika said beside him, “You really like this kind of thing, don’t you…?” 

Rantaro slowly opened his eyes. “Yes...I do. It helps calm me down and focus. It makes me feel...elated, I guess.” 

“You guess…?” Reika questioned, tilting her head. 

Rantaro shrugged. “It doesn’t really matter. It just makes me feel better, is all. Fitting for an adventurer, am I right?” he smiled. 

“Mmm...but I bet you haven’t caught the king of the lake,” Reika mused, coming to stand beside him. “At least, I heard that was the requirement for an island once...to be qualified.” 

Rantaro laughed. “What, are you saying to be qualified as an adventurer?” _Catching the king of the lake? I wonder how hard that would be...actually...I wonder if Isamu might have caught one...since he _is_ a Hunter after all._

Reika nodded. “Something like that...I suppose.” 

Rantaro watched as the moon began to steadily rise in the sky. “Hey, Reika...can I ask you an honest question?” 

“Sure.” 

Rantaro turned around so that he was looking at her straight in the face. “Then...let me ask. As their elder brother...do you think it’s right for me to protect them?” 

“Ah, your sisters…?” Reika rested her head on one hand, “Well...this is a killing game...and I’m not sure what will happen, but…” She averted her eyes, “...Maybe you shouldn’t. They’ve handled themselves pretty well for years, haven’t they…?” 

Rantaro nodded. “That is true…” When they’d reunited, all his sisters seemed pretty fine, despite the situation they were in. And maybe they’d been supporting each other throughout the years too... 

“And well...maybe they can survive on their own too. That’s why...I think you should trust them more.” Reika concluded, furrowing her brows. 

As soon as she finished that sentence, however, a _ding-dong, ding-dong_ sound went off. Nearby, Rantaro and Reika watched as a monitor lit up. On the monitor were the Monokuma Cubs, all sitting on a sofa. And...on top of that, little plushes of everyone were scattered everywhere. _W-What’s the meaning behind this…?_ Rantaro wondered.  


“Beartings! It is now 10pm!” They all said. “Please make your way to the dining hall at this time! From there, there should be a spiral staircase leading up to your rooms! Bearnight!” And just like that, the monitor flicked off. 

_The staircase, huh..._

The twosome hurried back inside. Everyone else was just arriving, ascending up the stairs. As they were doing so though, Rantaro’s and Michi’s eyes met. She narrowed her eyes, a slight scowl forming on her face. And then, a few seconds later, she vanished, out of sight. Rantaro tried not to let it get to him as he ascended the steps. 

Upon reaching the top, there was a round, large room, with their doors across from each other. Each of them had their own nameplates and their name written neatly on the bottom. Rantaro found his, which was next to Kenji’s, and entered. 

Inside was a neat room, complete with a dark blue, fluffy bed, a closet, several bookshelves, a few small tables, a lamp, a few dressers, and a monitor and camera. So...they were intending to keep close watch on them no matter where they were, it seemed. Rantaro collapsed onto his bed, thoughts running through his mind. 

_Nobody died today. Perhaps we still have a chance to turn to this around. But...this killing game...will I survive it? But...I definitely won’t kill anyone_. He pulled the blanket over him. _The day ended before we could all regroup, though...I wonder, did the Monopad update?_ Quickly he sat up and pulled it out. And now, all the blanks were filled in. He reread it: 

_Community life in Spade Castle is not restricted by a time limit. In the case that a murder occurs on school grounds, the Class Trial will be held among all participants. If the guilty party is correctly identified during the Class Trial, only the guilty party that carried out the murder will be punished. In the case the guilty party is not correctly identified during the Class Trial, everyone in the innocent party will be punished._

_In the case of the guilty party’s victory, the guilty party will graduate from Spade Castle and will be allowed to leave for the outside world. In the case of the innocent party’s successive victory, the killing game ends once the last two people remain standing. The Antique Shop and Prisoner Room will be closed during “night time” between 10pm and 8am._

_Any violence against Monokuma, the headmaster of Spade Castle, is strictly prohibited. Monokuma will not participate in any murder. The Monopad is a valuable article, so please do not break it. The “Body Discovery Announcement” will be broadcasted once three or more students discover a corpse. Investigation of Spade Castle is permitted. No particular restrictions apply. Any student that violates the school regulations will be disposed of by the Exisal._

_“Spade Castle?” Like the playing card…? That’s an unusual name for a place like this...then, that means this isn’t anywhere I know...we really _are_ in a remote castle._ He shut off his Monopad, sliding it onto the the little desk beside his bed. Throwing the blankets over him once again he thought, _What’s the right thing to do? Maybe I should listen to Reika...and...I hope no one dies tonight_. Rantaro turned off the light, and closed his eyes. It was a long time before he drifted off to sleep that night. 


	3. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 2, Ordinary Days -

“Bearning! It is now 8am! Rise and shine!” The Monokuma Cubs announced. A second later, the monitor in his room flicked off. Rantaro groggily climbed out of bed. He grabbed his Monopad, and headed out his room, down to the Dining Hall. Five people were already there: Hiikari, Ryuu, Reika, Koemi and Naoki. 

“Yo, good morning.” Rantaro greeted, waving.

Naoki, who was eating a piece of toast mumbled, “Ahhh, Bigth Bruh!” while waving back to him.

“Naoki, finish eating before you talk to him,” Koemi chastised, resting a hand on her sister’s. “He’s not going anywhere, so it’s fine. And plus, yesterday you complained to me how starving you were, so enjoy it while you can.” As she finished, Rantaro’s eyes flew to Koemi’s plate. It had a considerably less amount of toast compared to Naoki’s. 

_Did she give some of her breakfast to her…?_ Rantaro wondered, flopping into the chair next to Koemi. Surprisingly, there was already a plate there, with the same food, except for the side of croissant. _Did Monokuma prepare this…? Even so, I can’t imagine how a robot bear would be able to taste anything he mad_ e. 

Just as he was taking a bite out of his croissant, Ryuu suddenly yelled, “THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!!” He darted over to his plate, staring at the same piece of toast that was on everyone’s plates. “A healthy breakfast consists of cereal, milk, a sandwich, some yogurt, and either a fruit or a vegetable!”

“Umm…” Hiikari spoke up, tapping her index fingers together, “I don’t think many people eat that for breakfast…” Her mechanical eyes became unfocused, “Not that I could eat anything anyway…”

Swallowing, Rantaro said, “Ah, but maybe you could if someone upgraded your functions…”

Hiikari’s eyes brightened. “Y-You really think so…? Someone like me?”

Rantaro nodded. “Yeah, as long as they have the skill, it shouldn’t be a problem. From my perspective, anyway.”

Clasping her hands, a smile spread across Hiikari’s face. “I bet Father could do it...! O-Or one of your guys here! It doesn’t really matter which....”

“Father?” Naoki finally spoke up, pushing her plate away.

“Uh-huh! His name is Professor Idabashi. He created me. He said he tried to make me as human as possible, except I have four times the strength of a normal human...! S-So lifting big weights and stuff wouldn’t be a problem for me...!” she explained.

_Four times the strength…? I wonder if there are any repercussions...maybe that’s why she’s so sensitive to loud noises?_ Rantaro mused. 

“Wow, that’s so cool! I wish I could do that! All I can do is make little carvings out of wood…” Naoki trailed off, playing with her little, golden earring.

“I say both of those things are admirable!” Ryuu disagreed, stabbing his last piece of toast with his fork. After he swallowed, he continued, “Listen here. It doesn’t matter if you’re a robot or a human...what matters is that both of you are alive. And both of you got dreams to follow!” He shoved his golfer’s cap down his face, “I sure as hell wished I could’ve had another talent but...I guess it still shows somethin’ about me.” A grin spread across his face.

“...You know, Ryuu, you’re a nice guy.” Koemi noted. “While it’s seemingly unrelated to you, you still try to help others. That alone I think, is still a talent.”

Ryuu scratched his cheek, “Heh, you reckon’ so?”

“...Of course it’s not a talent, you fools.” Michi suddenly spat. They all swung their heads around to look at her. Everyone else had arrived too, although they said nothing. Pushing up her glasses, Michi continued, “A talent is something you’re extremely skilled at. If you could be scouted for simply being “empathetic”, then I’m sure hundreds of people would be “Super High School Levels.” Michi stated.

“Why does it matter? Do we really have to be everything our talents say we are?” Naoki demanded, rising out of her chair, her fist clenched.

_She has a point...I’ve never really thought of that before..._

“Of course we do,” Michi replied icily. “If we weren’t, we wouldn’t be in this circumstance, now would we?” She briskly walked over to a chair, and began eating, refusing to say anything else. Slowly, everyone else joined them, and they all ate in silence. Although, Hiikari just observed, her eyes becoming unfocused once more.

After everyone finished eating, there was a long, awkward silence until Toshi said, “Why did the silence not answer?” He paused, waiting for a response. When there was none he continued, “Because since it’s silence, it’s not supposed to answer!” He grinned. Nobody laughed from that, except for one person. 

“Y-You’re so funny, Toshi! E-Everyone should appreciate your jokes more...!” Hiikari said between laughs.

Toshi’s face flushed. “W-What…?” He scratched the back of his head, averting his eyes, “I’m...just a comedian...that makes bad jokes…”

“That’s not true!” Hiikari interjected, clenching her fists. Toshi’s eyes widened as she continued, “You make wonderful jokes, Toshi. Maybe most of us here don’t laugh at them…” she eyed everyone else in the room, “B-But they’re something meaningful to you, right? T-Then that’s all the matters--” She was cut off by Toshi clasping her hands.

“Thank you, Hiikari.” He said.

_I didn’t think those two would get along so well_. Rantaro thought.

“H-Huh…?” Hiikari stammered.

“I mean it. Really.”

Kenji rose from his chair, “Honestly, Brother, this is pathetic,” he grumbled. “I’ll leave you two alone then.” Before anyone could respond, Kenji had already exited the dining hall. 

Toshi unclasped Hiikari’s hands. His eyes darkened. “I did it again, huh.” He muttered under his breath.

“Did what again?” Hiikari asked, tilting her head, putting one finger on her cheek.

Toshi smiled, revealing his gleaming, white teeth. “Ah, it’s nothing! I was just...thinking of how I made a bad joke again.”

_Hmm...I disagree with that…_

“Ah...but I told you…! T-That...that…” Hiikari trailed off.

Toshi nodded. “Yeah, and I appreciate it.” He left after that. Soon everyone else filed out too, until only Rantaro, Hiikari, Ayumi, Eri, Naoki, and Koemi remained.

Hiikari stared at her metallic, pink scarf. “D-Did I do something wrong…?” 

Rantaro shook his head. “No, I think you said the right thing.” 

Hiikari’s shoulders drooped. “N-No...I’m a robot. And...robots aren’t human. So...I think I hurt the “human” part of Toshi…” she slowly left the room, staring at the floor as she did.

_Hiikari...that isn’t true_. He thought.

Koemi came to stand beside him. “You tried your best, Big Brother. I think your words will get through to her eventually.”

Rantaro crossed his arms. “Yeah, I suppose so.” he said.

“I wanted to tell you this earlier, but I couldn’t,” Koemi began, continuing. “My sister and I explored the other half of the main hall. You didn’t see it, did you?” she inquired.

“No, I didn’t. Reika and I only explored the right, and the throne room.” he explained.

Koemi and Naoki exchanged a glance. “Then we think it’s best if we showed you the other side of the hall.” Koemi decided.

“Does the other side of the hall, have like, information about the Loch Ness monster??” Eri spoke up, her eyes gleaming.

Naoki puffed out her cheeks. “Hey! You were with us! You should know!” 

Eri yanked out a random piece of paper. She stared it for several long moments, nodding to herself. “Aha! It seems the creature of the sea has bested me!” She held up the piece of paper...which just had a photograph of the “Loch Ness” monster on it. It was impossible to tell what it was in the photograph. It was black and white, and the “creature” was only a silhouette. For some reason, Rantaro felt like he’d seen this photograph before...many times, actually. _Ah, that’s right, isn’t Loch Ness in Scotland? And wait...wasn't that photograph confirmed as a hoax?_

“Um...didn’t you just look that up on the internet?” Naoki asked, pointing at the paper.

Eri suddenly drew her photograph back. “D-Don’t question my methods! This is proof that Nessie. Must. EXIST!!” she exclaimed.

“Anddddd I think we’ve lost her,” Naoki sighed. “Remind me how we started talking about this again?”

Ayumi suddenly walked over and grabbed the photo. “Hmm...from what I can tell, it seemed to be cloudy that day.” 

“See?? She believes--” Eri began to say, but Rantaro interrupted her.

“Although this photograph is obviously fake, you know. That “silhouette” is too small to be the Loch Ness monster. Plus...it has this weird shape to it.” He explained, shrugging.

Koemi sighed. “In any case, I want to show you the other side of the hall.” She started heading towards the door. 

The others consented, and followed her out. They passed by the Monokuma statue once more, still the same as ever. Crossing the hall, they arrived at the first door. The first door was green, and had glowing lights around it. _Is this Monokuma’s idea of “decor?”_ Rantaro wondered. _If so, he has terrible taste_. 

Pushing the door, they stepped inside. Inside, rows of seats stretched to either side of the room. A purple carpet ran up and down in between the different rows. At the far end of the room was a stage, with its red curtains drawn closed. It reminded him of one of those weird movie theaters.*

“This surpasses my predictions,” Ayumi remarked. “The further we explore--it seems--the less sense it makes.”

“Do you think the Mothman will pop up behind those curtains?” Eri asked.

“Somehow, I doubt that.” Naoki disagreed.

Rantaro strode down one of the rows, stopping right before the stage. He swung his head around, surveying his surroundings. His eye caught on one of the cameras in the far corner of the room. _So there are cameras even here, huh...they’re practically everywhere. Monokuma wasn’t bluffing_.

“See anything interesting, Rantaro?” Ayumi asked, ambling up to him.

“Just more cameras...and a monitor. I don’t really see anything else that catches my eye.” 

Ayumi crossed her arms. “Well, this may be a little off topic, but...who do you think is behind this? This killing game, I mean.”

Rantaro cupped his hand under his chin. “Hmm...I think it’s possible that’s it’s one of us. Or to be more specific...a _mastermind_.” He let that sink in for a moment before adding, “Although, I’m not suspicious!”

Ayumi flicked her dark blue hair. “I don’t suspect you. I was just asking for your opinion. But hmm...a mastermind, you say? I think you may be on to--” 

“Hey guys, check this out!” Naoki called. 

Ayumi sighed. “Let’s continue this discussion at another time.”

Rantaro nodded, and the two of them headed to Naoki’s location. She was staring at a weird poster mounted on the wall. The weird poster depicted the Mona Lisa with Monokuma’s head pasted on her. _Even I could do better photoshopping than that_. Rantaro thought.

“Is that an alien that’s half Monokuma and half human??” Eri asked.

Monokuma suddenly appeared, saying, “Hey! Even I have better taste in art than that!” 

“Wahhhh!! Sis, I--” Naoki cried, before regaining her composure. “Oh, it’s just Monokuma.”

Monokuma took a set back, his paws over his heart. “Just Monokuma?? You kids are so mean...” He stared at the floor. 

“Ah, I’m sorry! I wasn’t thinking!” Naoki apologized.

Monokuma glanced up, tilting his head to one side. “Hmm? Did you think I was sad?”

Naoki nodded. “Of course! Robots have feelings too after all…” She clasped her hand over her heart, staring down at it. “...Feelings that are the same, just like any other humans’...”

_Naoki...I’m worried about Hiikari too_.

“Ahhh! I didn’t realize you were such a considerate kid!” Monokuma brought a paw up to his eye, “It touches my beary heart.”

“Hey, you better not being getting any ideas,” Koemi hissed. “My sister’s a lot tougher than she looks.”

Monokuma covered his mouth with his paws. “Upupu! Maybe I am!” And then, just like that, he was gone. A silence fell over the room. The atmosphere seemed slightly heavier than usual.

“Is that what you wanted to show me?” Rantaro finally asked, breaking the silence.

Koemi nodded, leaning against the wall. “This room made me feel uneasy...which is why I asked you to come. Because I wanted to hear your opinion.” 

“Ah, my opinion?” Rantaro said. “Well, for one thing...I found a camera hidden in the corner of the room. To me, it seems a little weirdly placed. And secondly, there’s just something with the atmosphere here. It feels...heavier. So I can see why you’d feel uneasy. I don’t know what to say about this poster, either. As for anything else...Sorry, I can’t help you with that.” Rantaro shrugged.

“It was a worth a try. If you think of anything else, let me know.” She turned to walk away but then stopped. “Actually, one other thing, Brother. Further down this hallway is an open space...but it’s a complete dead end. There are two doors down there, but they’re both locked, unfortunately.” She left after that, leaving the door slamming shut behind her. Eri quickly followed after her, although Ayumi and Naoki lingered.

Naoki approached him, taking something out her pocket. She held it out to him. In her hands, was a wooden figure of a panther. “Panthers remind me of you,” she said. “I mean...I don’t really live up to my talent...but at least I can make these.”

_A panther, huh. That’s an interesting choice. Oh, she even added little details to it, from what I can tell_. 

Rantaro took the panther, staring at it in his hands. “No, Naoki, what you can do is amazing. And thank you, I’ll cherish it always.” He glanced back up at her.

“Ah...no! I’m really not that great! It was just a hobby of mine when I was in middle school. Nothing more, really. A-And you don’t have to keep it if you don’t want it, I’ll understand!” Naoki fumbled with the sleeve of her purple sweater.

“Why would I throw it away?” Rantaro asked, but Naoki was already running out the door.

Ayumi peered over his shoulder, staring at the wooden panther. “Your little sister is quite talented,” she remarked. “She paid attention to all the little details. I think she definitely deserves the title of “Super High School Level.”

Rantaro stared at the door. _Yeah, she definitely does. I wonder how much everything else has changed since I left them…_ He wondered.

“Didn't you want to finish our conversation from earlier?” he inquired. 

Ayumi shook her head. “It’s fine. Another time, we will. For now...I want to look into some things on my own.” And then she was gone too, leaving Rantaro alone. He glanced back at the curtains on the stage for a moment before exiting. As soon as he stepped outside the door, he crashed into somebody. His wooden panther slid across the ground, but was luckily unscathed. 

“Ow!! What the hell, man?” They cried. As they were rising to their feet, they stopped. They picked up his wooden panther in their hands. Rantaro stood back up, taking a good look at them. He’d bumped into Isamu, it seemed. But right now...Isamu’s eyes were transfixed on Naoki’s gift. The moment Isamu noticed him staring at it he handed it back to Rantaro. “You saw nothing, you dumbass.” He shoved a hand in his pocket, and began walking away.

_That wooden panther...he stared at it almost like--_

“Hey, wait!” Rantaro called. Isamu halted, twirling his arrow. “I want to talk to you.” Rantaro said.

Taking a hand out his pocket, Isamu grumbled something incoherent. He spun back around to face him, his face melting into a scowl. “What, you wanna fight?” he demanded.

Rantaro shook his head. “I said I just wanted to talk to you.” he repeated, crossing his arms.

Isamu snorted. “You? Talk to me? About what? One of you idiots is going to die soon anyway.”

“Not unless we refuse. And besides…” He unfolded his hand, revealing the panther once more. “Just now...you were staring at this, weren’t you?”

Isamu gritted his teeth. “What’s it got to do with you? So yeah, I stared at it! Big deal.” he spat.

“That’s not what it looked like to me,” Rantaro disagreed. “Isamu...are you really a hunter?”

_The way he stared at that panther didn’t look like hunter’s eyes when he spots his prey. They almost looked...soft._

Isamu gripped his arrow tightly. “Of course I am, dumbass! Otherwise I wouldn't be carrying around this arrow, would I?” A small smirk spread across his face. He started twirling it again.

“Archers carry arrows too, you know.” Rantaro shrugged. _I originally thought that’s what is talent was. Until he said otherwise, anyway_...

“Listen, punk! I don’t give a damn about animals. They’re all easy prey, just like all of you! This killing game has only just begun.” His eyes reminded him of the first frost of winter as he said this. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees, and a thrill ran down Rantaro’s spine.

“That’s a lie.” Rantaro said. 

“H-Huh?! Of course it isn’t a lie! I don’t--”

“--You _do_ care.” Rantaro interrupted. “Listen...you don’t have to live up to being “manly”, you know. You can be however you want to be.” _I know from experience..._

“This isn’t about manliness, you idiot! This is who I am. A man with no regards to other people, and man who kills on the whim. That’s why I got recognized as “Super High School Level”, you know. Because I could kill faster than others!”

_That statement is contradicting. Despite everything that has happened so far, I haven’t seen you kill anyone yet._

Rantaro sighed. “No, that’s not true. I keep a diary. And I write in it everyday. I also know a collective amount of other things. Such as nail polishing, for example.” he blurted out. 

“The hell? And you call yourself a man? How girly can you possibly get? Don’t you know that in this situation, none of those things are gonna help you survive?!” Isamu demanded.

_He does have a point, but...at least keeping a diary helps._ He’d already written several full pages of what had transpired so far. He also wrote down his thoughts and feelings on the situations, and it was nice to write them down on paper. 

“Maybe they will, maybe they won’t. That’s not my point. My point is...despite what you say, your actions don’t seem to match up with your words.” Rantaro said, his hands on his hips.

“Tch...believe what you want. But this is who I am, and this is all I’ll ever be.” Isamu spun around, walking away. Rantaro didn’t say anything back. He just watched as he disappeared down the hall. But as he did, he noticed Isamu stare at his arrow before he was out of eyesight. _Isamu...what is it that you’re trying to hide?_ Rantaro wondered. 

_I was once really embarrassed about my own hobbies..._ He used to hate going to stores and buying things for his sisters. Rantaro had once bought a ton of dresses, and the cashiers gave him funny looks. And then he’d keep buying more things, like a diary, or some nail polish. Rantaro laughed. Things were so much easier when he just stopped caring what other people thought. _Maybe I shouldn't have tried to push it too much…_ He thought.

After exploring, Rantaro searched around the school for Toshi and Hiikari. Unfortunately, he couldn’t find them, and lost track of time. A few seconds later, a monitor nearby him flicked on. It was the Monokuma Cubs again. 

“Beartings! It is now 10pm!” They greeted. “The Prisoner Room and Antique Shop will be closing as of now, so please make your way back to your rooms!” The monitor turned back off. 

_Huh. I didn’t realize how late it had gotten_. Rantaro thought. He started making his way back to his room. Before he did though, he ran into Minoru in the dining hall. 

“You’re still here?” Rantaro asked. 

“Yes,” the butler replied, glancing at the round table. “I was just reminiscing about this morning, is all.” 

“Ah. I never saw Toshi or Hiikari afterward. I wonder if Hiikari locked herself up in her room…” he mused, her words from earlier echoing in his mind. 

“Hmm, perhaps. She seemed rather upset...I wonder what its like to be robot, honestly. The idea of it perplexes me.” 

“To me, it feels like being left out.” Rantaro muttered. 

“Ah, now that you mention it...that is a valid point. I feel bad for her...but unfortunately, I’m just a butler. I wouldn’t know how to help.” He shook his head. “It’s doing me no good just thinking about this...that won’t change anything. Let’s see how she is tomorrow.” Minoru decided. 

“Sounds good enough.” Rantaro grunted. The two bid each other goodnight before heading back up to their rooms. As Rantaro laid down in his bed that night, all he could think about was the next day. _Tomorrow...it will be the third day since Monokuma announced that we have to participate in this killing game. I just hope nothing happens tonight. Still...is it really this easy? Something tells me that it’s not. Monokuma...just what are you plotting?_


	4. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 3, Ordinary Days -

“Bearning! It is now 8am! Rise and shine!” The Monokuma Cubs announced once more. As Rantaro climbed out of his bed he thought, _Do they always say the same thing every morning_? Grabbing his Monopad as usual, he headed out the door. When he descended down the stairs he found Hiroka, Sachiko, Kenji, Hiikari, Isamu, and Minoru this time. They were all bickering about something. 

“Listen here, Robot! Don’t touch my plate!” Sachiko was fuming.

Hiikari’s ahoge drooped. “L-Listen...I didn’t mean…”

Sachiko crossed her arms. “Pfft, you’re all talk. What can you even do, anyway? You can’t eat. You can’t sleep, you don’t even get tired...there’s nothing human about you at all. I bet you were just built with a specific personality. And the moment you don’t know what to say? You consult a script in your coding. Pah! No wonder why you stutter so much!”

_I never knew that this was...the real Sachiko_. Rantaro thought, staring at the rings on his fingers. 

“Hey, knock it off, Sachiko.” Hiroka came to stand between them. The two glared at each other.

“Hmph. Here comes the famous hero. Ready to save the day! You can’t even remember your own talent either!” Sachiko spat.

“This isn’t about talents. Sure, I may not remember right now...but I will. But right now, this is about _who we are_.” Hiroka stated, standing up straighter. 

Who we are…? Everyone’s words from yesterday echoed in his mind. ... _You’re right_. he realized.

“Sachiko.” Rantaro finally said. Sachiko whirled around to face him. Fire seemed to blaze in her eyes. “As an actress, was there anything else you enjoyed?” he asked.

“The hell? What kind of question is that?” Sachiko demanded. But the fire in her eyes seemed to die a little. “Maybe there was, maybe there wasn’t. Does that satisfy you?”

Rantaro nodded. “Hmm, I suppose.”

Kenji stretched in his seat. “Ah, finally. This stupid bickering is over. I was starting to get a headache.” He laid his head on one hand, tapping the round table with his fingers.

Hiikari stared at Kenji for a long moment. Then, she abruptly meandered over and put a hand on his forehead.

“What the heck are you--” Kenji started to say, but Hiikari cut him off.

“Hmm, I don’t see any signs of a headache…” She muttered, removing her hand.

“Of course there isn’t!” Kenji complained, face palming his forehead. “You can’t feel the symptoms for it externally, you moron. It’s internal!” 

Hiikari nodded. “T-That wasn’t in my records...I’ll have to update them!”

_I guess her “records” are the equivalent of how a brain stores memories_. 

Isamu and Minoru exchanged a glance that seemed to say: I have no idea what’s going on anymore.

“Hey, Isamu. I’m surprised you didn’t try to bully Hiikari today.” Hiroka said, changing the topic.

Isamu propped his feet onto the round table, leaning back in his chair. “What’s that got to do with anything? You were all being so sappy about “who we are”, so maybe I didn’t want to hear more of that crap.” He started twirling his arrow again, until it whacked him in the face. “Tch.” is all he said, before twirling it again.

_That is a good point. Hmm_... Rantaro thought.

“I was _trying_ to be inspirational,” Hiroka grumbled. “Is that even what heroes say…?” she added under her breath, but everyone could still hear her.

“If I may be so bold to ask...who is preparing these meals?” Minoru asked, pointing to the food on his plate with a fork. Today the food was...waffles. _Wow, how very original_. Rantaro added silently to himself.

“Don’t know, don’t care.” Kenji replied, consuming the waffles. It had a bunch of syrup smeared all over it.

“Hey, I thought you hated telling your patients to stop eating so much sugar.” Rantaro noted, recalling when they first met. That had been an eventful experience. Suffice to say, he had his own reasons for hating sugar.

Kenji paused, his fork hovering over his last piece of waffle. He raised an eyebrow. “Did I say that? I don’t think I did, you moron. Pay more attention to what--” Before he could finish his sentence, Toshi suddenly came down the steps. In his hands were some sugar cookies. But the moment he saw what Kenji was eating he darted over.

“Brother, is this what I think it is?” he asked, taking a bite out of a cookie.

“No. This is a sugar free kind of--”

“B-But there aren’t any sugar free kinds of syrup here...” Hiikari spoke up, tapping her fingers together.

“Aha! So...you’ve been keeping secrets from me!” Toshi exclaimed. “I never thought I’d see the day!” He laid an arm on his brother’s shoulder. “Want one?”

_Heh...they remind me of Naoki and Koemi...in their own way_.

Kenji slapped his arm away. “No, you idiot brother. You know why I don’t eat cookies.” He stabbed his fork on the last piece of his waffle and ate it.

Toshi’s eyes darkened slightly. “Yeah...all right, Big Bro.”

At that moment, everyone else came downstairs, and ate their breakfast. Just as they were all preparing to leave though, Rantaro noticed Hiikari’s facial expression in that moment. Her eyes were downcast, a small frown spread across her face. _Hiikari_ … he thought. 

Toshi and Reika noticed where he was looking. Without saying anything, Toshi walked up to Hiikari. 

“Hey...what did autumn say to winter?” He asked.

Hiikari glanced up at him, her eyes glazed. “W-What…?”

“Stop giving me the cold shoulder! Get it? Because sometimes it can snow in late Autumn.” He grinned.

Her frown transformed into a small smile, and she giggled. “U-Um…” she began, between giggles, “What did the hare say to the rabbit...?”

Toshi cupped one hand under his chin, tapping his foot on the floor. “Umm...hmm...let’s see...actually...I have no idea! Tell me!”

“My name’s Hairy! Because it sounds close to hare...th-that is how jokes work, right…?” she inquired, tilting her head.

_He managed to cheer her up_ … Rantaro thought.

“Yup! That’s how they work! Although they aren’t that great…” Toshi admitted, staring at the floor.

“Stop saying that! I-I’m sure they are! A-And even if they aren’t...isn’t there something else you’re good at…?” 

“Well...there is one thing.” In that moment, Toshi embraced Hiikari.

“H-Huh? W-What are you doing...?” The robot exclaimed.

“I’m hugging you,” He replied. “This is a called a hug, Hiikari.”

“O-Oh…! I’ve...I’ve never been hugged before!! U-Um...what do I do?”

“Just hug back.” 

Slowly, Hiikari returned the hug. They stayed like that for a few moments, before Toshi finally broke away. “Hiikari...just because you’re a robot, it doesn’t mean you aren’t human.” Toshi and Hiikari’s hug reminded him of when he reunited with his sisters. Naoki had hugged him at the time, and he’d felt happier than he’d been in a long while. And now...seeing these two doing the same thing...hearing these words... _They get along well_. He thought, closing his eyes for a few seconds. 

“H-Huh? B-But...I’m just a machine with an AI. I don’t have a heart...or a brain or...I don’t have any of those human things!” Hiikari disagreed, shaking her head.

“You’re more than that. You do have all those things, in your own way.”

“I-I do…?” She touched the spot where her heart would be. “I don’t hear or feel anything though…”

“It’s there. Maybe it’s not noticeable yet, but I’m sure it’s there. It’s gotta be!” 

“Y-You really think so…?” Toshi nodded, so Hiikari continued. “T-Then...I believe you, To-Toto.”

Toshi’s face went red. “T-Toto?” He repeated. Toshi smiled. “Then...can I call you Kari?”

_I think she was just stammering...but that’s sweet_. 

Hiikari clasped her hands together. “Uh-huh! Toto is really nice to me! So he can call me Kari!” 

Rantaro glanced around to see everyone. Although he swore he could see Isamu smiling in the corner of his eye.When he turned to look at him though, he still looked as grumpy and agitated as ever. Still...he was surprised that no one had interrupted those two. Maybe for once it touched everyone’s hearts in some way…? 

And, as if on cue, Ryuu spoke up. “Hey you lovebirds! I really hate to interrupt the moment...but I have an idea!”

_Judging by the way he’s speaking, I think I know where this is going_ … Rantaro thought.

“We. Are. Going. To. Go. GOLFING!!” he announced. Everyone stared at him blankly, so he continued. “Of course, we can’t really do it outside...so it won’t be proper golf, I’m afraid. But...we can play….indoor golfing!! We’ll use the hallways. The start will be at that vase, and the end will be the hallway leading into that big open area with two locked doors!”

“And why do you want us to go golfing?” Kenji demanded.

“So you can see how terrible it is!” Ryuu answered, a large grin spreading across his face.

“What kind of logic is that?” Sachiko huffed.

Ignoring her comment, Ryuu pressed on, “Anyways…I’m going to need your help setting up.”

A little while later, Rantaro found himself in the kitchen, the room right of the dining hall. For some reason, Ryuu thought it was a good idea to use bowls as the holes. And, as for the golf ball, they somehow found one stashed away in the corner of the Antique Shop. He was starting to question if it really lived up to its name. 

And they got a golf club from Ryuu’s room. Which actually didn’t make sense why a golf ball wouldn’t be in his room. Maybe when they first investigated he’d gone in the Antique Shop with one and lost it. As for the course...they had to go around the Monokuma statue. If the golf ball went downstairs it was considered “out of bounds.” The same applied to the fountain. Suppressing a sigh, he shook his head, and grabbed several bowls out of a nearby cabinet. Once Rantaro was sure they had enough, they set up as Ryuu instructed. Stepping back, Ryuu admired their work.

“All right, let’s play some golf!” Ryuu declared, punching a fist into the air. Ryuu took the first shot. The golf ball went flying, before going off course and bashing into a nearby wall. Ryuu adjusted his hat, and handed the golfing club to someone else. Minoru took it this time, and the golf ball rolled to a stop a few inches away from the fountain. “You’re doin’ great!” Ryuu yelled.  
Ayumi tried this time, but the golf ball ended up landing in the fountain. 

Sachiko burst out laughing. “Pfft!! That was _so_ stupid! Even I could have done better than that!”

Ayumi’s shoulders slumped slightly, but she retrieved the ball. They continued like this for a while, making almost a full circle around the fountain. They managed to get into one of the holes. Although, on Rantaro’s turn the ball ended up rolling down the stairs. And Hiikari’s hit the right side of the fountain, causing a tiny crack to split in it. The game finally ended when Toshi got the golf ball in the last goal. Rantaro watched as he ran over, laughing. Actually, when Rantaro stared at everyone, they were all smiling. Well...almost everyone. Ayumi, who was standing beside him suddenly said, “You’re all having so much fun, huh.”

“What?” Rantaro asked. But Ayumi didn’t answer. Although, her eyes looked a bit...sad.

“So, you can be pleased this easily?” Michi spat, narrowing her eyes. “Have you all forgotten our situation at hand?”

“Mmm this didn’t help with inspiration at all...in fact, in just made it worse...” Eri grumbled. She was staring at one of her drawings. It was all scribbled out.

“This is why I hate golf,” Ryuu added dryly. “I don’t get how everyone can just be...so happy with it. What’s there to like about it? Or much less...a talent you wished you didn’t have.” He glanced up, raising his voice. “So what did ya think? Don’t ya hate it?!”

“No, actually, it was quite fun!” Hiroka disagreed.

“I admit I haven’t enjoyed something like this in a long time.” Minoru concurred.

“YOU TRAITORS!! ALL OF YA, I SWEAR!!” Ryuu argued back. Almost everyone laughed at that. But it was short lived. Because in that moment, a familiar robot bear appeared out of nowhere.

Everybody stopped laughing, and stood, paralyzed. Monokuma put his paws over his belly. “Ahh, I got your attention,” he said. Then, suddenly he unsheathed his claws. “All of you bastards are having too much fun! You seem to have forgotten why you’re here! So I’m gonna remind ya...with a motive!” He put his paws over his mouth, laughing.

_So this is what Monokuma meant yesterday_. 

“A...a motive?” Reika stammered.

“W-We don’t want a motive!” Hiroka retorted.

“Y-Yeah, what she said!” Eri agreed.

“Oh, but you do. It’s been three days, and no one has killed anyone yet! My children and I are sooo bored! So that’s why I gotta give you kids a motive! And the motive is: _If you kill someone, I’ll give ya a different talent_! I hear that the majority of you want a different one! So if I were you...I’d start killing!” And just as soon as he appeared, he was gone in an instant.

He’s practically forced us into his hand now… Rantaro thought, gritting his teeth.

Sachiko jabbed a finger at Ryuu. “Aha! So this was your plan! You’re wanted to show us how bad golfing was so that later... _it would justify your murder_!” 

Everyone’s eyes turned to Ryuu. “You wouldn’t really...do that, would you?” Hiikari asked.

“Of course I wouldn’t! I may hate my talent, but I wouldn’t kill someone for it!” Ryuu disagreed, shaking his head.

“Oh, really now?” Isamu took several steps closer to Ryuu. “Out of all of us here, you’re the only one who constantly complains about his talent. Tch, how pathetic!” Isamu spat, ceasing twirling his arrow.

“Hey, stop it! Must you always gang up on somebody?!” Hiroka demanded, getting between them. “What’s your problem, anyway? I bet you’re thinking of a murder scheme of your own!” She spat, gritting her teeth.

“Why the hell should I answer that? You’re always defending everybody, pretending to be some kind of hero! Pah, what a wimp!” Isamu hissed.

“What did you say?! You want to fight, _punk_?!” Hiroka spat, clenching her fists.

“CUT. IT. OUT!!” Naoki yelled. Isamu and Hiroka’s gazes turned to her. “What will we accomplish by fighting? Why...why should we have to fight? Moments ago, we were all laughing!” Naoki interjected.

“That was moments ago, _little girl_. This is _now_.” Michi snarled.

Rantaro’s feet started moving on his own, until he was standing in front of his sister. “Hey, don’t call my sister a little girl. She’s been through a lot on her own.” He glanced back at her for a moment. Staring into her eyes, Rantaro could remember _that_ day so clearly. The day they all got separated. “And besides,” Rantaro crossed his arms, changing the subject. “Do we really have to listen to what Monokuma says? He just said that to make us distrust each other. We can still think of a plan to get out of here. We just all need to work to--” Before he could finish, Sachiko cut him off.

“Ahh, there we go again! Always such an optimist! Did you have a horrible big brother that abandoned you?! And left you all on your own?! Ohhh wait...that’s you, _Rantaro_.” Sachiko spat. “See, you can’t trust him! He abandoned me! And he abandoned Naoki, Koemi, and all nine of our other sisters! Because he’s too _selfish_!” She put her hands over her heart for emphasis.

“That’s not what I--” Rantaro began, but Kenji interrupted him.

“I knew a moron like you wasn’t trustworthy.” Kenji turned his back on him, exiting the room.

“Rantaro...you didn’t really abandon your sisters...right?” Hiikari asked, but Toshi shook his head. He watched the two of them leave.

Koemi and Naoki’s eyes darkened, and they left without a word. Soon almost everyone had left until it was just him and Reika. _...What does she want?_ He wondered, trying not to think about what just happened.

Reika strided over to Rantaro, stopping a few inches away from him. “I’m sorry everyone said such mean things to you...I just plainly wanted you to know that I don’t agree with them…” Reika admitted, clasping her hands together.

Rantaro shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. “...Ah, no, it’s fine. It doesn’t really bother me. But what did you want to ask me so badly?” Rantaro inquired.

“A-Ah, you picked up on that…? Well, I plainly just wanted to talk to you about something. B-But I need some other students to hear this as well.” She admitted.

Rantaro spun around, staring at her over his shoulder. “I’ll find them. Who did you want to come, anyway?” 

“Um...just you, Minoru, Isamu, and Toshi. But I think it would best if I came along with you.”

Rantaro nodded. As they were leaving the room Reika mused, “Hey, what if that Monokuma statue...is a really clock? And that only two of them exist?!”

As usual, Rantaro had no idea what she was talking about, so he just moved on. It didn’t take too long to gather the three of them. Although it took a while to convince all of them. In the end, it seemed the only reason they came was because of Reika. Either way, when they were done, they entered the throne room. Reika stopped walking once she reached the center of the room, and spun around to face them.

“So...why did you need us?” Toshi asked.

“Better be worth my time.” Isamu grumbled, kicking at the carpet.

“Ahh I’m so glad you asked!” Reika exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. “I was hoping you could help me design some of my outfits!”

_Mmm that wouldn’t be so bad_. Rantaro mused. His sisters had always made him play dress up with him. So it didn’t really bother him. And besides, what was so wrong with wearing skirts and dresses? They were well made. So maybe he could provide some interesting input.

“The hell? You dragged me all the way here...for that?” Isamu snarled.

“Ah, um...surely that isn’t what you meant, Reika?” Minoru asked, his voice wavering.

Reika rested her head on one hand. “But...I figured this was a good way to lighten the mood.”

“A good way for _you_! I bet you spend all your free time knitting!” Isamu spat, gripping his arrow tightly. He turned, heading for the door. “I’m leaving.”

Rantaro caught up to him, blocking his path. He put a hand on Isamu’s shoulder. “Listen, this might be fun. And besides, I don’t think Reika would have wanted us to come if she didn’t think we’d have fun.” He raised his voice, “Right?”

Reika nodded. “We could do other stuff too. Like...crafts! And...strategizing!” she suggested.

Toshi cupped a hand under his chin. “Hmm...it might not be so bad. There was something I wanted to make.”

“I don’t know what I’ll do, but I’ll figure something out. In times like these, one must be calm, and strategize.” Minoru agreed.

Rantaro turned back to face Isamu. Their conversation from the other day replayed in his head. _Hopefully I didn’t sound pushy this time_ … he thought. 

He was rewarded when Isamu grunted, “Tch...fine. Just this once.” 

Reika clasped her hands together. “Wonderful! I’ll be back!” They watched as she exited the room. 

Removing Rantaro’s hand, Isamu sighed, playing with his arrow. “The hell’s your problem, anyway? Don’t you know when to let things go?” He stared up at him, straight into Rantaro’s eyes. Rantaro assumed he was talking about their conversation from the other day. But still...his words touched his heart on a deeper level.

“...No. Not practically.” Rantaro muttered, staring at the red carpet. In his mind, haunting words echoed: _Give up. Give it up already. You’ve done enough. It’s pointless_.

“Oh yeah, that reminds me...What did your sis mean when she said you “abandoned” her?” Toshi questioned, approaching them.

Rantaro placed his hands on his hips, sighing loudly. “Listen...forget what she said.” Rantaro grunted, staring back up at Toshi. _Please don’t ask further questions...it’s a touchy subject_.

“But why don’t you want to talk about it?” Toshi asked, raising an eyebrow. “Or did you really abandon her?”

“Oh, and I recall she said something about nine other sisters...how large is your family…?” Minoru added.

Rantaro narrowed his eyes. “I told you to forget about it.” Rantaro said firmly. He scratched his head, a smile spreading across his face. “I wonder what we’ll make when Reika gets back,” he said, abruptly changing the subject. He laughed, although to him, it sounded completely hollow. “I’m pretty used to making crafts, but it’s been awhile since I last made some.”

Isamu furrowed his brows. “Pah...making crafts and stuff at a time like this is completely idiotic.” He disagreed. 

“Aww man...you’re killing the mood. I’m looking forward to making something.” Toshi smiled.

“And I’m sure I’ll think of a good plan.” Minoru nodded.

Even though none of them had said it directly, Rantaro could still tell. They deliberately avoided asking him the biggest question: _Rantaro Amami...what’s _wrong_ with you?_

. . .

When Rantaro left the throne room later that evening, he was carrying a bunch of small crafts. Most of them were for his sisters. When Reika had returned, they seemed to have fun. Rantaro had watched Toshi and Reika make something together. He couldn’t really tell what it was, since Toshi made sure no one saw it after it was finished. Minoru sat down and wrote several plans. Reika made more outfits, just as she said she would. And as for Isamu...Rantaro wasn’t sure what he made either. Although he could have sworn he saw an animal of some kind. 

Either way, they’d lost track of time. Rantaro was surprised at how much it helped him. The day’s burdens seemed to lighten as he was walking back to his room. Luckily, he didn’t run into anybody, and was able to drop his stuff off. In the setting sun’s rays, his room seemed strangely peaceful. Some of his walls had paintings of places around the world. But his favorite was the mural on the wall behind his bed. It depicted a vast, blue ocean, with mountains in the distance. A ship swam across the water, and seagulls flew overhead. It reminded him of his travels.

Rantaro also had several articles about fashion and such. He even had a traveling documentary tape, but he hadn’t found time to watch it. He’d only discovered these shoved in his drawers the other day. He wasn’t sure why Monokuma thought it was a good idea to put them in there, but whatever. That bear could be weird sometimes. 

Although, the only other noticeable items he had in his room were Naoki’s panther and his diary. He’d been writing in his diary ever since they’d gotten here, and it was filled with all sorts of comments. Dragging out a pencil, he opened it up, and began writing for a while. When he was done, he set it aside. It was much better to write out his thoughts on paper. 

Glancing outside his window, he could see the moon starting to rise. At most, he probably still had a little free time left. So he decided to head back downstairs and into the dining hall. When he stepped off the last step, someone was already there. At first, he didn’t notice them until they leaned against the door. The moonlight shone on their clothing, revealing their identity. “Hey, there.” They greeted. It was Ryuu.

“Yo.” Rantaro replied, unfazed.

Ryuu chuckled. “Heh, I guess you don’t get startled easy, huh?” He adjusted his golfer’s hat. “Anyways...I wanted to talk to ya ‘bout somethin’.”

“And what would that be?” Rantaro asked.

“Well...how do you feel about your own talent?” Ryuu began.

_How do I feel…?_ Rantaro repeated. “It’s fine, I guess.” He said with a shrug.

“No, no. That’s not what I meant. I mean...are ya happy with your talent?”

_Based on what I’ve seen so far...I’d definitely say Ryuu isn’t happy with his talent. Although he practically told everyone that today_. he thought. “So you’re asking me for my opinion.” Rantaro said.

Ryuu nodded. “Yeah, somethin’ like that.”

“Well, that...I don’t know. People just started calling me an Adventurer, so I went with it. I mean...it did feel fitting, I suppose.” Rantaro said, crossing his arms.

Ryuu got a distant look in his eyes. “Fittin’, ey? Well...I was just wonderin’...is every Super High School Level happy with their talent? Or would they have preferred something different?” Ryuu asked rhetorically. He continued, “Well, from my perspective, the latter seems to be true. But...maybe I’m just jumping to conclusions.”

_It’s definitely something to consider though. Rantaro thought_.

“Still...I’m glad you brought that up. Maybe I should look into that in more depth.”

“Heh, really? I was just ramblin’. But thanks for listenin’ anyway.” Ryuu left after that, heading back up to his room. A few minutes later Rantaro did the same. As soon as the door closed behind him, the monitor flickered on, as usual.

“Beartings! It is now 10pm!” The Monokuma Cubs greeted. “The Prisoner Room and Antique Shop will be closing as of now, so please make your way back to your rooms!” The monitor turned back off.

Rantaro stayed up for a few minutes, jotting down some more things in his journal. His mind was racing as the pencil danced across the paper. _Monokuma presented us with a motive today_ , he thought. _Although, to be quite frank, I don’t buy it. I assume it’s just to rouse us, to get this killing game started. And...I really don’t want that. But I don’t know what to do...And everyone’s on edge_. 

_Most people here probably don’t trust me anymore. In fact, none of us probably trust each other. Because this is a killing game. And Monokuma and his children will do anything to get what they want. That’s just how they are. So...I’m gonna do my best to keep a clear head. And...I’ll figure out a plan to thwart him. I may not come up with one immediately, but I’ll work something out. I have to. For everyone’s sake_. Rantaro placed his pencil neatly inside his diary, and placed it onto the small table beside his bed. Tucking himself in, he turned off the light. Shutting his eyes, he drifted off to sleep.


	5. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 4, Ordinary Days -

“Bearning! It is now 8am! Rise and shine!” The Monokuma Cubs announced. 

“I wonder if someone died today!” One of them snickered. It was Monokid. 

“Ahhh no!! T-Thinking about death is…” Monofunny stammered.

“This is a killing game, Monofunny,” Monosuke interjected, pushing his glasses up his face. “It’s natural that people will die.”

“N-No, it’s very horrible!”

“Why are we still broadcasting this…?” Monodam spoke up.

“Ah!! You’re right! Father will be mad at us if we kill his fun!” Monotaro exclaimed. A few seconds later, the monitor shut off. 

_What was that about?_ Rantaro thought, rising out of bed. _Still, regardless...I hope they were just trying to make us wary of each other_. Once he grabbed his things as usual, he headed downstairs. In the dining hall, everything was absolutely silent. It felt like a giant black cloud had rolled over the room. The air felt heavier than usual. Ayumi, Reika, Toshi, Hiikari, Michi, and Eri were already here. But none of them were talking to each other. They all just ate their breakfast hastily, not bothering to glance up as Rantaro approached. It’s understandable, Rantaro thought, plopping into a chair. Apparently, today’s breakfast was...noodles. ... _Who cooks noodles for breakfast?_ He shook his head, and began eating it anyway. Soon everyone else came down, but they weren’t in the mood for idle chat either. 

Placing his dishes in the kitchen’s sink, he suppressed a sigh. If nothing else, the Monokuma Cubs _had_ been lying. _They’re really set on us killing each other_ … Just as he finished that thought, as if on cue, they appeared. The Monokuma Cubs hopped onto the round table, making Eri’s bowl of noodles go flying. Luckily, she was fast enough to catch it, glaring at the Monokuma Cubs as she did.

“Beartings!” They all cried.

“...What do you want from us?” Rantaro asked, taking a few steps closer to them.

Monotaro glanced around the whole room. “Eh?! You’re all still alive?!” He exclaimed.

“Did you really think I’d die so easily?!” Eri spat. Placing a hand over her heart she said, “I-I’ve got cryptic creatures to find!! So...of course...I wouldn’t…!” She trailed off, her voice quavering. 

“I may be a butler, but even I have a few skills of my own. I had to learn to protect my master, after all.” Minoru stated.

“I had to take care of myself for a while too,” Koemi added, crossing her arms. “So I won’t go down easily.” Even though those words had been directed at Monotaro, it still seemed to be directed at _him_ , too.

“One of you has to die eventually.” Monodam intoned.

Rantaro grit his teeth. _He has a point...although no one’s showing it...I think they’re all thinking about the motive. And...I hate to even think this, but...I can’t even trust my own sisters_.

“So that’s why we thought of something to lift your spirits!” Monotaro continued, drawing out some shurikens. 

“Look out!! He might try using a jutsu!” Reika interjected.

“Eh?” Monotaro titled his head. “No, that wasn’t our plan! We are going to make you have fun!”

_“Have fun?” Just what are they scheming..._? Rantaro thought, placing a hand under his chin.

“F-Fun??” Toshi stuttered. “And what is this… “fun”?!”

“I-I don’t want to have “fun”…!” Hiikari added, clasping both sides of her head.

“You’ll have to come to the movie theater room to find out~!” Monofunny giggled.

And just like that, they were gone again. Everyone stared at each other, frozen in place. I have a bad feeling about this. Rantaro thought. Taking in a deep breath, he headed towards the doors. Soon, footsteps after footsteps followed after him. When they arrived at the movie theater, the Monokuma Cubs were already there. They were all standing on the stage, watching as everyone filed in.

“Take your seats, if you will~!” Monofunny ordered. Everyone sat in the first two rows, closest to the stage. Once everyone was seated, Monofunny turned to Monotaro. “Let’s begin!”

Monotaro walked to the front of the stage, and suddenly started dancing. He grabbed Monofunny’s paws, twirling and hopping around. Monosuke and Monodam did the same. Meanwhile, Monokid strummed his electric guitar...playing loud...and unpleasant music. Hiikari clutched the sides of her head, her whole body trembling. Toshi placed a hand on her shoulder, seemed to be saying something. Once they were done dancing they moved onto their “next act.” This time, Monotaro began telling jokes to Monodam.

“Knock knock.” Monotaro began.

“Who’s there?”

“A motive!”

“A motive who?” Monodam intoned.

“A motive that will inspire you!” Monotaro replied.

Nobody laughed at that. Not even Hiikari, who usually laughed at bad jokes. Realizing his joke had fallen flat, they moved on to their “final act.” This time, it focused on Monodam and Monokid. Monokid was wandering along when he crashed into Monodam. The two of them fell over, before quickly rising to their feet.

“Hey, watch where you’re goin’!” Monokid spat.

“Ah, sorry.”

“Sorry isn’t gonna cut it! I need to teach you a lesson!” And then, in a flash, Monokid was beating up Monodam with his guitar.

“Monokid, cut it out! T-That wasn’t in the script!” Monotaro exclaimed. He ran forward, but tripped, sliding across the wooden floor.

But by then, Monokid was already done. “Aww yeah!! Nothing feels better than killing stress! That dancing was embarrassing as hell!” He laughed, before disappearing.

“Hey, we weren’t done!” Monosuke hissed, leaving too.

“Both of you, wait!” Monotaro and Monofunny cried, vanishing.

Soon only Monodam was left, his body covered in dents. He slowly rose to his feet, staring at everyone there.“.........” And then, he was gone too.

For a moment, everyone sat in silence. Then Ayumi rose up from her seat, yelling, “What was the point of that?”

Kenji joined her. “Yeah, you morons. If you’re going to waste our time, at least let it be something worthwhile.”

“Honestly, I don’t know what I was expecting.” Michi added, disdainfully.

“I-I plainly thought it was interestingly...boring!” Reika added.

Soon everyone was yelling and filing out of the room. Rantaro was the last one to leave. I need to figure out some sort of plan… he pondered, wandering down the hallway. He was so wrapped up in his thoughts he didn’t pay attention to where he was going. Suddenly his foot kicked against something hard. Rantaro glanced down to see what it was. It was a clipboard. But not just any clipboard. Michi’s clipboard. And it was laying beside the fountain, the papers on it partially drenched. _Why is this here…_? He picked it up, planning to at least skim over it. But before he could, someone snatched it out of his hands. It was Michi herself.

Crossing her arms, she raised an eyebrow. “And just what do you think you’re doing?” Michi asked.

“Picking up your clipboard.” Rantaro stated.

Michi shook her head. “No, _you were trying to read it_. Trying to see if I had secret plans! But no, I don’t. Some little rascal stole this from me. It’s just papers documenting this floor’s layout.” 

_Who would have stolen it though? And if what Michi says is true, how would that help? Everyone already knows what all the areas look like...unless_ …

“I would advise that you leave Rantaro alone.” Minoru suddenly said.

Michi narrowed his eyes. “I was just leaving, _butler_.” Michi turned on her heel, exiting the area. 

The moment she was gone, Minoru bowed to him. “I do humbly apologize...it seems my old instincts are kicking in.” He shook his head. “That was unlike me. I suppose I was just reminded of something...because of this dire situation. If you’ll please excuse me.” Minoru hurried out of the room, leaving Rantaro alone.

_“Old instincts?” Hmm...although, more importantly...why was he here_? Rantaro crossed his arms. _Well, standing around like this won’t do any good. I guess I have some free time now, so I better make the most of it_. 

He found Kenji outside the castle. Kenji was staring at the ocean, his hair swaying in the breeze. Rantaro hadn’t been out here since he’d first explored with Reika. This is where he’d asked her if he was really making the right decision as his sisters’ brother. And she’d advised him not to, and that’s what he’d done ever since. Although, in the end, he still didn’t know if it was the right decision or not.

“Yo, Kenji.” Rantaro greeted, coming to stand beside him. The breeze brushed against his face. Kenji spun around, staring at him.

“What do you want?” he grumbled.

“I just wanted to talk to you.” Rantaro stated. He closed his eyes for a moment, relishing the peacefulness, before reopening them.

“ _You_? Want to talk to _me_? What a joke!” He laughed at that, before continuing. “We have nothing to talk about. You’re wasting your time. Go find someone else to bother.” Kenji waved his hand dismissively. 

Rantaro stood up straighter. “No, I’m not leaving.”

Kenji sighed. “Ugh, you people are the same. Always so...determined and annoying and blah blah blah. I get it! You want to talk to me so we can have...a “conversation.” He empathized this by doing air quotes.

“Why don’t you like talking to people?” Rantaro asked.

“ _Why don’t I like it_?!” He slapped his forehead. “Are you that dense? I just told you! I don’t have anything to talk about, that’s what. Want to hear about cavities? No. Want to hear about flossing? No. Want to hear about why I hate overly sugary foods? No!! So there you have it. A day in the life of the Super High School Level Denist. _Amazing_!” He did a slow clap. “Now leave.” Kenji pointed to the door leading back into dining hall.

_Nothing to talk about, huh. There’s gotta be something though_...

“Isn’t there something else you like besides being a dentist?” Rantaro continued, ignoring what he just said.

Kenji crossed his arms. “Maybe. But it’s not something I’d like to share.”

“Is there anything you’d be willing to share, then?”

“Hmm...let me think about that. And the answer is...no! I don’t.”

_Why is he so touchy about talking about himself_ …?

Rantaro sighed. “Well, it was worth a try.” He turned to leave, opening the door.

“Thank you so much for leaving!! Finally!!” Kenji called after him. Just as the door was shutting however, he heard Kenji mutter, “My brother tries his best, doesn’t he…”

_He didn’t call him “idiot” or “moron” like he usually does_ … Rantaro noted. He decided to go back up to his room for now. He flopped onto his bed, bringing out his diary once again. _No one has died yet. And that concerns me. Not that I want anyone here to die, but it just seems...odd. Someone has to be plotting something. I need to figure that out, and soon_. He laid his pencil down, staring at his scrawled handwriting. Ugh. He couldn’t even write normally today. The letters and words were all over the place, going up and down and diagonally. Sighing, he closed his diary. 

Rantaro stood up, striding over to the window. Placing a hand on the sill, he glanced down. He could see the hilltop from here, and all the colorful flowers. It reminded him of when his youngest sister, Hanako, had made him a flower crown. It was in a field just like that one, and they’d both laughed by the end of it. Rantaro had even made his own little flower crown for her. He missed seeing that little smile, and how she would always tug on his shirt whenever she tried to get his attention. _I wonder if she did that on _that_ day too_ … Rantaro wondered.

Suddenly the door burst upon, pulling him out of his reverie. “I FINALLY FOUND YOU!!” They yelled. Rantaro spun around to face his attacker--but then it just turned out to be Eri. “I’VE BEEN LOOKING FOR YOU!!” She said, her eyes shining.

“Well, next time...can you at least specify if you’re coming to kill me?”

“Kill you?? No!! I couldn’t find you anywhere, so I assumed you were in your room. And lo and behold, I found you!” She adjusted some imaginary glasses.

“Why were you looking for me?” Rantaro questioned.

“Because I want to tell you something interesting! Come with me to the Antique Shop!!”

Rantaro followed after her. When they arrived at the Antique Shop, Kenji, Ayumi, Naoki, Hiikari, Ryuu, Hiroka, and Isamu were there. And for some reason...they were all lined up like the military. Rantaro just joined Hiroka at the end of the line. Seeing that everyone was in position, Eri nodded, and began walking up and down like an officer. 

“All right, you kids! I’ve gathered you all here today for a very important meeting!” Eri declared.

_“You kids?” Well, that’s an interesting way to put it_.

Hiroka nudged Rantaro in the ribs with her elbow. “Boy, she’s really getting into this, isn’t she?” Hiroka whispered.

Eri darted over to Hiroka, narrowing her eyes at Hiroka. “What did you just say, Soldier?” 

“Uh...nice leadership?” Hiroka shrugged.

Eri nodded to herself. “Very well,” she began walking back and forth again. “Anyways! My point for summoning you all here...is think of a plan to stop...that creature. You all have seen it with your own eyes! It looks evil in the hearts of man!! And that very creature is...an alien!!” she made a ghostly sound before continuing. “Which is why, I’m going to teach you about all of the artifacts in this room! Because I think aliens are real!” She added, dragging out another drawing. It was a stick figure in a spaceship. “This is the proof! An alien is keeping us trapped in this school!! So I shall do the honors of telling you the history...of these ancient artifacts!”

_I should have figured, knowing her_. Rantaro thought.

“Okay, I’m leaving now. I can’t believe I wasted time in my life for this. So like...bye, you morons.” Kenji said, heading towards the door. But before he could leave, Eri blocked his path.

“You need this knowledge!! It may help you in the future!!” Eri exclaimed, making weird hand gestures.

Kenji let out an audible sigh. “Well, since I’m trapped in here, I guess I’ll listen to what this moron says.” 

“Very good! Glad you agree!”

And thus proceeded a very, long, very boring, lecture. Eri went on into detail about what each artifact was used for, what it was made out of, and the history behind them. Rantaro wasn’t sure how she knew half of this stuff, but he just shrugged and kept listening. By the time she finally let them go, all of them let out sighs of relief. 

Although, Hiroka seemed to have enjoyed it to some degree. And Rantaro did too, actually. Learning about various artifacts from around the world intrigued him. In a way, he supposed it calmed him down a bit. Maybe that was what she was truly aiming for, in the end. Maybe it didn’t work that well for most of them, but Rantaro appreciated it. But right now...he had somewhere he wanted to go.

When he arrived in the movie theater room, he was surprised to find Michi, Koemi, and Reika there. They were on the stage, discussing something amongst themselves. Although they all glanced up as he approached. When he reached them, they stopped talking and just stared at him.

“Ah, Rantaro! You came at just the right time!” Reika exclaimed. “We found something!”

_Found what…_? He wondered.

Koemi pulled the stage curtains aside to reveal a door. But when Koemi tried to open it, it wouldn’t budge. “It’s locked. It seems like we need a key to get in there. But I haven’t found any keys ever since we’ve been in Spade Castle.” she said, shaking her head.

“Even with my vast knowledge, I couldn’t come up with anything.” Michi added. “Why are you here anyway?” she demanded.

“There was something I wanted to check.” Rantaro said. He strode across the stage, staring up into a familiar corner of the room. And there it was. The same camera that had always been there. 

Michi noticed where he was looking, and raised an eyebrow. “What do you plan to do with that?” 

Rantaro turned to stare back her. “Monokuma can see us through those cameras, right? I was thinking...maybe we could disable them.”

“I don’t think Monokuma would want us doing that…” Reika disagreed.

“How is that going to help? So you can hide your little murder scheme? Murder would make this game more interesting.”

“I said it before. I’m not going to kill anyone. And this isn’t a game.” Rantaro said firmly.

“Oh, if you insist. But please, we all know everyone can’t keep up this charade. We can’t all keep being “friends.” Everyone has pretty much said they wanted a different talent. What about you, Rantaro? Are _you_ happy with _your_ talent?” She asked.

Rantaro balled his fist. _The thing is...I don’t know. Am I happy with my talent? Am I really...an “Adventurer?” But...my biggest question is...what does it truly mean to be called a Super High School Level?_

“Hey, quit it!” Koemi barked. And, as if to add an additional effect, a loud crash ricocheted throughout the room.

_What was that_?! 

“Did you just hear that…?” Koemi asked, her voice wavering.

“I-It could have been…” Reika stammered.

“Pfft, you’re all overreacting. It was probably just some lightning or something.”

_No...she’s _wrong_._ Rantaro thought, his heart hammering in his chest. _Despite what Monokuma said when we first got here, this doesn’t seem like a “Killing Game.” It’s been four days, and yesterday Monokuma gave us a motive. And it’s possible...that someone finally decided to _act_._

Just as he finished that thought, the door burst open. Minoru was there, panting and out of breath. “I...saw...something...horrible!” he breathed. “Come quickly...!”

Rantaro, Michi, Koemi and Reika exchanged a glance. Then they all began running after Minoru. His feeling of apprehension grew as he ran. He wouldn’t believe it until he saw it with his own eyes, he wouldn’t...They emerged into the main entrance hall. And that’s when they saw it. The fountain was partially broken, with cracks running through it. A little stream of water trickled nearby. Nearby, in a giant splatter of hot pink blood, was a bloody arrow...and a bolt. Laying face down, in that pool of blood...was a body. It was the body of someone they held dear. 

It was Toshi Handa, the Super High School Level Comedian.


	6. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 5, Unordinary Days -

The large, golden Monokuma statue in the center of the area had remained untouched. The red carpets still ran up and down the halls. The candles and florescent lights glowed in the setting sun’s rays. Light sliced through the glass stained windows. It illuminated some areas while others were swept into the current of shadows, adding to the atmosphere.

“T-Toshi…” Rantaro stammered. He was still trying to make sense of the situation. Toshi, who had been with them earlier this morning, was now laying on floor... _dead_. His short, auburn hair was unkempt, and the tips of it dripped with blood. His black school uniform with his blue striped tie was also stained with hot pink blood.

“KYAHHHHHHH!!” Reika screamed, covering her eyes.

Moments later, several people nearby came running in. The moment they saw Toshi’s body, they froze on the spot.

“H-He can’t be…” Hiikari stuttered. 

“My brother...is dead…?” Kenji muttered under his breath, but it was still loud enough to hear.

“T-There’s no way he’s dead!” Isamu interjected, a smirk spread across his face.

“Well, it’s about time this “Killing Game” got started.” Michi said nonchalantly, playing with the hair band on her ponytail.

“I was careless...I let this murder happen…” Koemi murmured.

Rantaro’s legs started buckling, and he shut his eyes. He took several deep breaths, recovering. It was fine. He’d dealt with things like this before. He could handle this...right? _Ding dong ding dong!_ The sound seemed to echo throughout the hall. Seconds later, a nearby monitor flickered on.

“A dead body has been discovered! Please hurry over to the main entrance hall!” The monitor turned back off.

Suddenly, Monokuma and his children appeared out of nowhere. Monokuma put his paws his on belly, sighing loudly. “Ahh, I’m so glad someone finally killed someone! I was worried for a second there that this Killing Game would never get started!”

Rantaro crossed his arms, breaking out into a cold sweat. “So you finally got your wish. What are we supposed to do now?” He asked.

“H-How can you be so calm?!” Hiikari demanded. Although she was trying to hide it, Rantaro could still see parts of her body trembling. She’d been really close to Toshi, the one who seemed to really understand her. And now he was gone. Rantaro could only imagine how she felt. No, that was wrong. He knew what it felt like to lose someone close to him. 

Ignoring her, Monokuma answered his question. “Why, you’ve got to investigate, of course!”

Just as he finished that sentence, everyone else filed in. Upon seeing Toshi’s dead body, they all shrank back, except for a few. Sachiko was one of them. Her black dress swishing as she strode over, she came to a halt a few inches away from Toshi’s dead body. Placing a hand over her heart, in a high pitched voice, she exclaimed, “Aww, poor Toshi’s dead! I can’t believe it!”  
“Quit it! T-That’s obviously just an act!” Hiroka spat.

“T-Toshi’s dead…?” Ayumi said in a soft voice.

“This is an unforeseen turn of events...” Minoru remarked.

“Y-Ya can’t be serious!” Ryuu added.

“T-This is one discovery I never hoped to find…” Eri said.

“W-Why...why did this have to happen?” Naoki cried.

“Ahh, you all came just in time. I was just explaining how ya got to do an investigation!” Monokuma snickered. 

“So, you’ll let us investigate...but I assume we have to do that on our own?” Rantaro asked.

“Upupu! That’s right! If ya didn’t investigate, there’d be nothing to discuss in the Class Trial!” Monokuma explained, his paws covering his mouth.

Right. The Class Trial. Rantaro balled his fist. He could still remember reading the rules to himself very clearly. If you found out the guilty party, then only they would get punished. Everyone else would continue living in Spade Castle as usual. On the other hand, if they didn’t find the guilty party, and accused the wrong person...then everyone but the guilty party got punished. The guilty party would then “graduate,” having gotten away with their murder. Rantaro was fully aware of the consequences. Which is why...he had to do this. For Toshi, and for everyone here.

“You remember the Class Trial rules right?” Monotaro asked. “If you don’t, it’s written in the “Killing Game Rules” on your Monopad!”

“W-We can investigate...? Then I want to know...how Toshi died…” Hiikari murmured, staring at her metallic hand.

“I do too,” Kenji chimed in. “He may have been a moron, but I guess that was something special about him.” 

“S-So do I...he always had a way of lightening up the mood.” Reika added, brushing back a lock of her short blonde hair.

“Then that’s why...we should work together,” Rantaro said, meeting everyone’s gazes. They were all a plethora of emotions: confused, angry, sad, scared, shocked, determined… “It will be easier that way. And it will probably make the Class Trial more fair.” Almost everyone nodded their heads in agreement. 

So much had happened in just a few days. It was overwhelming, but at the same time, he knew what he had to do. Even if they hadn’t really talked, Rantaro was still glad to have known Toshi. Although there was something mysterious about the two brothers, Toshi had definitely cared about everyone here. He recalled when they first explored and Toshi called him the leader. He hadn’t particularly gotten at the time, but perhaps he did now. Maybe it was Rantaro’s display in front of the Exisal back then, being calm in the face of danger. It made sense, in its own way. 

_So...as the leader...I’m going to find the culprit behind Toshi’s murder. And...I’m going to see it through to the end. Because that’s all I can do for right now...everyone’s lives are at stake. Which is why I have to make sure I do a thorough investigation. That this investigation counts_...

“Before you bastards begin your investigation, I gotta give ya...this!” Monokuma dug out a report. He handed it to Rantaro. “This is called the Monokuma File! It’s a report that gathers accurate information about a corpse! You won’t find anything about the culprit, though! That would ruin the fun! But maybe you’ll find some use for it.” And then, just like always, he vanished instantly. 

“I don’t trust anything Monokuma gives us!” Hiroka growled.

“How do we know if anything written on that piece of crap is true?” Isamu demanded.

Hmm, but I think it would be in our best interest to look at it for now. It might help us. Sliding his finger across the screen, it showed information such as Toshi’s height, weight, blood type, etc. Tapping onto the other page, it showed where Toshi’s corpse was, and an image depicting his wounds. Rantaro began reading the information provided:

_The victim is Toshi Handa, the Super High School Level Comedian. The body was discovered on the first floor in the main entrance hall. The time of death is approximately 7:05 PM. The cause of death is several stabs wounds through the abdomen. There are no other external wounds_.

\--Truth Bullet get! Monokuma File #1-- 

_It mostly restated what we already knew...but I suppose I _did_ learn something new_. He glanced back up. “I think it would be best if we investigated in groups.” He stated.

“Why’s that?” Naoki asked.

“To prevent the culprit from destroying evidence, no doubt.” Kenji answered.

Rantaro nodded. _If we want to solve this mystery, we’re gonna need all the evidence we can get_. he thought.

“Hey...Rantaro, may I investigate with you?” Reika asked. 

“Sure, I don’t see why not.” Rantaro agreed. Despite some of the randomness that happened when they explored together, the two of them seemed to work well together. She was the first person he’d decided to open up to, after all. He’d only opened up a bit to her now, but maybe he could open up to her even more in the future. And maybe they could support each other through these rough times. After all, she was also the first person who reached out to him. Deep down, he was grateful for that.

“Ah, thank you…! I know we’ll plainly make a good investigation team!”

Addressing everyone, Rantaro raised his voice, “Let’s solve this mystery. Otherwise, Toshi’s death will be in vain.” _And that with the evidence I find...I’ll be able to figure out the truth. It will be painful, I’m sure. But this is the only way. For everyone, not just me. So for now...I’m going to do my best_.

\-- Investigation start! --

“Hey, Reika...when we heard that loud crash, do you know what could have caused that sound?” Rantaro asked, turning towards her.

“Hmm, I’d plainly think it was something hard. Like those cracks in the fountain there.” She said, jabbing her finger at it.

Rantaro meandered over to take a closer look. From what he could tell, the cracks all fanned out from the bottom, and continued going upwards. There was a noticeable round shape at the bottom of the fountain, where all the cracks originated from. There appeared to be a large dent going through all the cracks. The only other noteworthy thing...was a complete lack of blood on the fountain. Still...it seems like something was used to create that large dent. _But what could have made it? And, more importantly, why is there no blood on the fountain_? He wondered.

\--Truth Bullet get! Cracks in the Fountain-- 

“I think it’s best if we examine Toshi’s dead body more closely, too, we’ll we’re at it.” Rantaro said.

“E-Examine his dead body?” Reika stammered.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to. I can do it.” 

Reika shook her head. “No...I’ll examine it with you.”

They walked a few steps over, crouching down by Toshi’s side. _As much I as I wish I didn’t have to do this...I need to, if we’re going to solve his murder_. He thought back to yesterday, when Toshi was still alive, and laughing as he finished their golfing game. And then watching as he and Reika made crafts together. Wait. He’d forgotten to ask her that. _What exactly did Toshi and you work on together yesterday_? He wanted to say. But he’d wait until they were done examining Toshi’s dead body.

There was a bloodied arrow sitting in a pool of blood. “Where did this arrow come from?” Rantaro inquired, cupping a hand under his chin. _It seems like it’s the murder weapon_...

Reika pointed a finger upwards, “Maybe it came from the Antique Shop? You said you found a golf ball in there before.” she suggested. That was true. He had found a golf ball in there, but he’d just assumed Ryuu had lost it. There _was_ a lot of weird, unusual stuff in there.

“Hmm, let’s make sure to check back there later.” Rantaro decided. _I feel like I’ve seen this arrow somewhere before though_ …

\--Truth Bullet get! Bloodied Arrow-- 

A little ways away from the bloodied arrow was a bloody bolt. “Did this also come from the Antique Shop?” he asked.

Reika peered at it intently, narrowing her eyes. “No...it didn’t.”

“How do you know?” he pressed. _Maybe this is what she and Toshi made. Although I wouldn’t understand why_ …

“Toshi asked me to help him make a bracelet. It’s not actually a real bolt. It’s plainly made out of wood, and painted. See...?” Reika pointed to one of the sides. There was a tiny bit of brown showing through. “The shape doesn’t quite match a bolt. It was just one of the things I plainly grabbed from my room. It looked the closest to a shape of a bolt.” Reika explained.

“So you think that this was part of the bracelet you guys made.” Rantaro realized. _If that’s true, then what happened to the rest of the bracelet? And who did he make it for_? 

\--Truth Bullet get! Bracelet Piece-- 

“What’s with that stream of water?” Rantaro mused. Around where the cracks where, water was slowly trickling out from it. The little stream lead away from the corpse.

“I’d guess it came from the cracks in the fountain. It leads away from Toshi’s dead body, so…” Reika trailed off.

“It could have washed away other bits of evidence. I think it’s worth noting, at the very least.” Rantaro said. _Thankfully the stream didn’t run the opposite way. That would have been bad for us, and worked in the culprit’s favor. But_...

\--Truth Bullet get! Stream of Water-- 

“I guess I should examine his body now.” Rantaro said. He walked over and started with where the fatal wounds were. There was a large amount of blood coming out the lower half of his body. _Hmm, it seems like the Monokuma File is telling the truth_... he thought. His eyes then flew to one of Toshi’s hands. His fingers were curled up, and there seemed to be something in them. Rantaro unfolded Toshi’s hand, revealing a broken piece of black yarn.

“Why would he have a black piece of yarn?” Rantaro wondered aloud.

Reika leaned over to take a closer look. “Maybe it points to the killer?” she suggested.

Rantaro shook his head. “I don’t see how it could have. Whatever the case is, he had it for a reason.” _If only I had a lead, I might know_ …

\--Truth Bullet get! Broken Black Piece of Yarn-- 

He inspected the rest of Toshi’s dead body for good measure, but he didn’t find anything else helpful. “Let’s move on,” Rantaro decided, rising to his feet. “We should check the Antique Shop next.”

Before they left, however, they decided to talk to everyone else in the area, to see if they knew anything. Koemi was fidgeting with the red ribbon on her white school uniform. She glanced up at them as they approached. “Ah, hello Brother, and Reika too I see,” she sighed, playing with strands of her green hair. “I wish this didn’t happen. Personally, I never wanted this Killing Game to start. If hadn’t been for that annoying motive, I’m sure Toshi would still be here with us.”

Rantaro nodded. “I wish Monokuma had never presented that motive either. But I guess when it comes down it, I’m not good at protecting people, am I…” And he wasn’t just referring to Hanako. He was referring to nine other sisters...nine other sisters who weren’t here right now. But they were somewhere. They _had_ to be. Noticing Reika and Koemi’s looks, though, he held up his hands. “Ah, don’t worry about it. I just ramble a bit too much sometimes.” 

Koemi raised an eyebrow at him, but didn’t press him on matter. “Well, in any case...the best we can do is investigate. For Toshi’s sake. Although I do admit I miss having him around...he sure knew how to lighten the mood, in his own way.”

Rantaro glanced back to where Toshi’s dead body laid. “Yeah, he sure did…” he agreed. _I wonder...how did he become the Super High School Level Comedian_? 

“Best of luck in your investigation, you two. I have full confidence in you!” Koemi called, as they continued on.

They went over to the other two people in the area: Ayumi and Ryuu. The twosome seemed to be in some deep conversation. Ayumi pulled her light blue coat over her more tightly. “Oh, hello,” she greeted them both, ending her conversation with Ryuu. “We were just talking about Toshi. What do you need?”

“Do you two know anything?” Rantaro asked.

Ayumi crossed her arms. “No...unfortunately not. But I will say that Toshi was an interesting person. He reached out to others, that’s for sure. He did his best in the end.”

Ryuu nodded. “I’m afraid I don’t know anything either. But this seems like a weird location to be killed in. I certainly didn’t expect someone to die here, of all places,” he shoved his golfer’s cap down his face. “Still, he was an amusin’ guy. Maybe he didn’t make the best jokes, but he still tried his best anyway.”

_For now, all we can do is find out the truth regarding Toshi’s murder_. Rantaro added silently to himself. Having now talked to everyone in the area, they moved on. They headed back into the Antique Shop, still overly shiny and golden as usual. The counter with the cash register to their right and other products behind it was still the same. And to their left, all the weird items were still stored in their cases. Well...almost. There were parts of it that were a complete wreck. The people in here were Isamu, Eri, and Sachiko. _Well, I guess we better get started then_. Rantaro thought. They went over and talked to Isamu first.

“Ohh, let me guess, you’re here to ask me if I know anything. And fine! I’ll tell you what I know!” Isamu spat. “I lost my arrow! And it’s the only one I have! That’s why I thought I lost it in here, since I was in here earlier.”

_He lost his arrow…? He always carries that thing around_ … “What do you mean by “earlier?” Rantaro asked.

“ _6:30 PM_! You know, after that dumb history lesson. I probably put the damn thing down somewhere!” Isamu growled, balling his fist.

“Do recall you anything else...?” Reika inquired, tilting her head.

Isamu snorted, his long, uneven bangs falling over his eyes. He hastily brushed them back. “No...not at the moment, anyway. Pfft...cursed arrow…!” he muttered under his breath.  
_Why is he so obsessed with that arrow anyway? Wouldn’t it be easier to not carry it around at all…_? Rantaro wondered, gently shaking his head. 

\--Truth Bullet get! Isamu’s Testimony-- 

Rantaro decided to examine the floor next. There was some broken glass scattered on the floor. Bits of blood were on the tips of the shards. Rantaro cupped a hand under his chin. “How did blood get on these?” he mused.

Reika clutched her arm with one hand. “The murder happened in the main entrance hall right...?” Rantaro nodded, so she continued. “So something else transpired here...!”

“Uh...I kind of already figured that. But my point is, however this blood got here, it’s definitely one of the many clues to solving this murder.” Rantaro said. _Still, it’s strange for it to only be on the tips_ …

\--Truth Bullet get! Broken Glass Shards-- 

Going around the glass shards, they headed to the other corner of the room. The case containing the crown was broken. _Well, that explains one mystery. At least we know where the glass shards came from_. Rantaro thought. He remembered back to when they’d first came in here, and the Monokuma Cubs had yelled at them. 

They had insisted on not touching that crown, or there’d be dire consequences. Dire consequences meaning being shot by lasers. The typical security set up. But...this case was completely broken. And on top of that, the crown inside was damaged. There was a giant depression on one side, along with several slash marks.

“How did get damaged this badly?” Rantaro wondered.

“Maybe it got damaged from the glass shattering...? That would explain the slashes.” Reika stated.

“But it doesn’t explain the big question. It looks like it might have been used for something…because of that depression.”

“I don’t see what stealing it would do for you though…” Reika sighed, resting her head on one hand.

_And more importantly, how would you avoid the lasers_? 

\--Truth Bullet get! Damaged Crown-- 

On the other side of the case were splotches of blood, leading away from the crown. They came to a halt a few inches away from where Eri was standing. 

“Hmm...do you think these came from those glass shards?” Rantaro asked, turning to Reika.

Reika furrowed her brows. “Maybe...but all the glass shards are on the right of this case,” Reika said, pointing to the case containing the crown. “And these spots of blood don’t start until the corner of the case. On top of that...there was blood on the tips of glass shards. At the moment...I don’t see how they’re related…” she trailed off.

... _She made a good point_. Rantaro thought. _I guess we can figure it out in the Class Trial. Not that I’m really looking forward to it_ …

\--Truth Bullet get! Spots of Blood-- 

There was a book on the floor. “What’s this book doing here?” Rantaro mused. He bent down to pick it up. It was a heavy, green book, with most of the letters faded out. There was a noticeable bend in the corner of the book. When he opened it up, dust flew into the air and he started coughing. _Ugh...it seems this book hasn’t been opened in quite a while_. He noted. He glanced at the pages, but there was nothing that seemed relevant in it. It kept going on about some upcoming game that was still in development. The only useful thing he found was a rip along the inside of the spine. There bits of torn pieces of paper still left. _Someone clearly ripped out one of the pages in this book. But what for…_? 

Reika came over and peered over his shoulder. “Huh...this book is about an upcoming game…? Maybe the killer--” Before she could finish, Isamu suddenly cut her off.

“Not that accursed book again!” he spat, striding over to them, his hands in his pockets. His red scarf brushed against the book.

Rantaro glanced up at him, narrowing his eyes. “How do you know about this book?” Rantaro asked.

“ _I got hit with it_ , dumbass!” Isamu growled. “Tch...can’t believe I forgot an important detail such as that…” he muttered under his breath.

“ _Who_ hit you with it, though?” Reika questioned.

Isamu glared at her. “Hell if I know! I’m not some damn know-it-all! I couldn’t see who it was, since they snuck up on me!” Isamu raised his head, “There! Are you happy now?” he spun around, walking away, resuming his search for his arrow.

_Someone snuck up on him and hit him with this book? It’s pretty heavy_...

\--Truth Bullet get! Misplaced Book-- 

Setting the book back down, Rantaro and Reika headed over to Eri. Eri was busy examining one of the artifacts. Supposedly, it was a “sasquatch” skull, although Rantaro found that hard to believe. In his opinion, he thought it resembled more of a stegosaurus. 

“Hey, Eri...you wouldn’t happen to know anything, would you?” Rantaro asked, crossing his arms.

Eri did a full 180 degree spin, her orange frizzy hair flying all over the place. “Aha! I’m glad you asked! Because I do know something!!” she exclaimed. She dug out another piece of paper, putting it up to her face. “Hmm, let’s see! So...I summoned almost all of you to come here _around 4:00 PM_. Although, it took _half an hour_ before everyone arrived. And then...I told you about the fascinating beauties in this room...for... _2 hours_!” She glanced back up from her sheet of paper. “So...that basically sums it up!” Eri said.

_I was in my room at the time...and also the last to arrive. So I have no idea what everyone was doing before then_. Rantaro realized. 

“If you had to gather everyone here, didn’t you see Toshi?” 

“Ohh!! As a matter of fact, I did!” 

“Do you remember when and where you saw him?” Rantaro pressed.

“Um...I saw him in the throne room. He was the first person I went to find. When I asked him to come, he said he was busy. It looked like he had something in his hands but I couldn’t see what. So I left...and that was at...4:05 PM.” Eri told him. “...And that’s the extent of all I can remember, sorry…”

Rantaro shook his head. “No, that’s more than enough information. Thank you.”

_4:05 PM? That’s three hours before his murder...according to the Monokuma File, anyway. Still...what he doing? And why did he have something with him?_

\--Truth Bullet get! Eri’s Testimony--

They talked to the last person in the room, his sister, Sachiko. She was braiding a strand of her long, green hair. When she noticed them, however, she left go of it, causing the entire braid to come undone. “Well, well! If it isn’t my big brother! Playing detective now, are we?” she laughed.

Rantaro put his hands on his hips, letting out an audible sigh. “Listen, Sachiko...this is important. We’re up against the culprit. Either we figure out this murder...or we die.” he let that sink in for a moment before continuing. “That’s why I wanted to ask you, to see if you knew anything regarding this case.”

Sachiko played with one of her many bracelets. “Well, unfortunately for you...I don’t know anything. Poor Toshi died though...a sad state of affairs, really.” 

_She acts like she doesn’t even care…_! Rantaro thought.

Sachiko froze when she noticed the look on Rantaro’s face. “Oh, so I’m the bad guy now? You know...I think everyone here can agree it’s better that none of them died instead. Wouldn’t you say?” Sachiko raised an eyebrow at him.

“C-Cut it out! Rantaro...don’t listen to her!” Reika interjected. “She’s probably just trying to confuse you…!”

Rantaro gritted his teeth. “I’ve had enough of this. Let’s go, Reika.” he spun around, and started heading for the door. “There are a few more places I want to check.” I won’t believe it. _Everyone seems to really care that Toshi died...right_?

“Don’t come crying to me when you can’t figure this out! It’s not like _you_ were abandoned!” Sachiko called, before the door shut. Rantaro hurried over to the room next door, the library. But just before he could, Reika gripped his arm. Slowly, he turned to look back at her.

“Um...Rantaro, what did she mean?” Reika asked.

Rantaro turned and stared back at the door. ... _That’s a bad question to ask, Reika_. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.” he monotoned, before shoving open the library door. Inside, Michi, Hiikari and Minoru were there. The atmosphere in here definitely felt different than before. When they’d first come here, they didn’t find out much. That was because all the bookshelves were behind glass, and also mysteriously had locks on them. The room wasn’t that big. And secondly, the room wasn’t very well lit. That was because there weren’t any candles in here. There were lights on the ceiling, however. _Time to scavenge this place for evidence too_.

He first began by talking to Michi. She was looking over her clipboard, and writing down notes. It took her a few moments to notice they were there. After she finished what she was writing, she placed her pencil behind her ear and turned to them. “I suppose you brats have come here to ask about the murder?” they nodded, so she continued. “I honestly don’t know what to tell you...well, I can say the time when I lost my floor layout.” 

Michi cleared her throat, and brushed her lab coat before she began. “I found the floor layout when we first investigated. I was surprised no one had taken it, so I obviously took it for myself to study. However...on the day that we played that ridiculous golfing game, it vanished. I searched all evening for it, but I couldn’t find it. I only found it again today, after we saw that pointless performance...and that was at 10:30 AM. I don’t know what time I lost it prior to that.”

\--Truth Bullet get! Michi’s Testimony-- 

_She didn’t have it for a whole day and a half?_ He’d found it earlier today before Michi did, who showed up a few seconds later and took it. Of course, no one was there. And yet...it had been lying around the fountain...right where Toshi’s dead body would be, hours later. “Can I see it?” Rantaro asked.

Michi pushed her glasses up her face. “Fine, I suppose. But only because of the situation we’re in.” she leafed through several pieces of paper on her clipboard before coming to a stop on the floor layout. It showed a diagram of all the areas they could go to for now. There were shapes indicating where things were, such as the bookshelves in here, and the fountain out there. It also included the dungeon in its fully capacity. _The killer must have used this somehow to commit their murder_. 

“Hmm...I see. This is useful information.” Rantaro said.

“If it helps you solve the murder, that is.” Michi added darkly as they continued their investigation.

\--Truth Bullet get! Floor Layout-- 

“Hey Rantaro, look at this!” Reika said, pointing to one of the bookshelves. The glass was shoved aside, and there was no lock on it. They could actually reach inside for once and grab a book. However, the books were all slanted. 

“Hmm...how did they end up like this?” he wondered aloud.

“But...shouldn’t you be asking how someone got this bookcase open? They were _locked_!”

That is true. To unlock them, you’d need a key. And I’ve never seen any keys since I’ve been here. At least...keys that don’t go to our rooms, anyway. He glanced down the open bookshelf, but the the lock didn’t look like it was hard to open. It looked like it had opened with ease. _Still, even if you did get it open...what would it do for you? And where did they put the key_?

\--Truth Bullet get! Open Bookshelf-- 

Seeing nothing else suspicious in the room, they talked to everyone else there. When they approached Hiikari, her light pink, spiky hair was covering her eyes, throwing them in shadows. She didn’t acknowledge their presence. Instead, her eyes remained fixated on something around her arm. Rantaro’s eyes flew down to where she was looking. She was staring at a metal bracelet of some sorts.

_Did_ … Rantaro didn’t finish the thought, because Reika walked around him until she was standing directly in front of Hiikari. She placed her hand on the metal bracelet. Hiikari stared up at her, her mechanical eyes refocusing. She stared at them with half closed eyes. “Reika...and Rantaro. I’m sorry I didn’t notice you two earlier…” she apologized, trembling.

“It’s okay. We know it’s been hard for you, since you found out about Toshi’s death…” Reika trailed off.

Hiikari shook her head, her metallic scarf lighting up on the sides. “No, I’m being selfish. Toto was always so happy…” Hiikari closed her eyes. “W-Why did someone have to kill Toto…? He’s the first person w-who…”

Seeing that her whole body was trembling again, he found himself instinctively reaching out his arms. In that moment, Rantaro embraced Hiikari. She accepted his embrace, slowly hugging him back. 

_I’m used to doing this_. Rantaro thought. His immediate reaction to his sisters’ crying was to hug them. It was the best method to help calm them down. Although...it didn’t work every time, but he still tried anyways. He did more than just hugging, of course. It was how he was used to comforting them. Although, hugging a robot wasn’t exactly the same as comforting his sisters. But he didn’t mind. 

Whenever he saw someone crying though, he always seemed inclined to hug them. Probably just his usual brotherly instincts that made him want to. But right now, if hugging Hiikari helped in someway...then that’s all that mattered in the end. He wanted to help her now, since Toshi no longer...could.

“Y-You know...this reminds me of when Toto first hugged me. And after that, he always tried to teach me affectionate things...I didn’t get them at first. B-But I think now...I’m starting to. He did teach me how do hug...so I have that, at least. But...I’ll never be able to hug Toto again…”

Hiikari was the first to pull out of their hug. In the corner of his eye, however, he noticed Reika giving him a funny look. _What? What’s so wrong with hugging people?_ Rantaro thought.

“Ahh, t-thank you...Rantaro. I-I think I really needed that...although I wish I could cry. But I’m just a robot so I can’t.” 

“Maybe you can learn to cry in your own way. Toshi taught you how to be affectionate, so I don’t see why learning how to cry should be a problem...But you’re very capable of feeling emotions. That’s why...I think you are human. Just...just as Toshi once said.” Rantaro replied.

That all familiar, small smile spread across Hiikari’s face. “Then...thank you, from the bottom of my heart. But, I’m probably wasting your time, right? I mean...you’re investigating and...well, I need to tell you something!” Hiikari exclaimed. 

_She just said something remarkably human_. Rantaro thought, smiling to himself.

“I-It’s about Toto. I saw him earlier today! He...he lost something, so I gave it back to him. But then he also gave me this bracelet,” she indicated the metal bracelet around her arm. “He said...he’d thought I’d like it since he’s seen most people here wearing them. Although, he himself admitted it probably wasn’t good. B-But...I told him, that I love it! And Toto was really happy after that...and then he...he…” she trailed off. “I-I can’t say anymore…! B-But when we met up, it was at 10:45 AM!”

_That’s 15 minutes after Michi said she found her floor layout_... Rantaro mused. _Hmm_ …

“Thank you, Hiikari. I know this trial will be hard for you... Try not to push yourself too hard. Let yourself feel your emotions, and grieve. Please...don’t bury your emotions. It’s all right to be sad. But...I promise….we’ll find Toshi’s killer together.” Rantaro said.

_Don’t become like me...and learn to hide your pain and suffer. And lie to yourself constantly while ignoring the painful truth...and being in constant denial. Nothing good comes out of it_...

Hiikari could only nod, and she watched as they continued onward.

\--Truth Bullet get! Hiikari’s Testimony-- 

Minoru was inspecting a lock on one of bookcases. He bowed to them as they neared, his blonde hair partially falling over his left eye. “Ah, Reika and Rantaro. I’m glad you came to see me. But, unfortunately I don’t have anything worthwhile to tell you…” Minoru said, shaking his head. “However, it’s quite saddening that young Toshi died so soon. He was a bright young man, in some ways. I can only hope we can find his killer.”

_I hope so too. Not just for our sakes...but for Hiikari’s...and Kenji’s too, no doubt_. They said goodbye to Minoru, and proceeded out the doors. There was only one place left to check now. The throne room. The twosome made their way there, climbing up the stairs once more. When they stepped inside the room, they found Kenji, Naoki, Hiroka, and yet another mystery on their hands. The red carpet leading to the throne was untouched. The two thrones were still the same as they’d always been. There was something in the corner of the room, though. However, they decided to speak with Kenji first.

Kenji was staring at his striped tie on his black outfit. “Ohh...hello. I’m guessing you two came to ask me about my dead brother, right?” Kenji said. Before either of them could respond, he pressed on, “Well, I can definitely tell you one thing. We had a little argument. Outside on that weird balcony...thing. He was telling me about some idea he had, but I told him it probably wouldn’t work. He...took that harshly. We ended up arguing about how we’ve been here, and that if someone didn’t do something soon, one of us would end up dead. And look what happened as a result. My kid brother’s dead.” Kenji sighed, crossing his arms.

_Even if he doesn’t let it on, I think Toshi’s death probably really affected him too_ … Rantaro noted. _But...does that mean Toshi was planning something on his own too…_?

“A-Aren’t you...more upset that your brother’s dead?” Reika tentatively asked. 

Kenji raised an eyebrow at her, gripping the mask over his mouth. “Of course I’m upset. But I kind of figured it might happen...he was doing some idiotic things. That’s all. He doesn’t think everything through.” 

_He doesn’t…_? Rantaro questioned. Rantaro thought back to all the times he’d seen Kenji interact with his brother. He’d always called him an “idiot” or a “moron” but he felt there was more to it than that. They’d exchanged a joke with each other before they’d all explored for the first time. Thinking back to it, it sounded kind of ominous to him now. _Maybe that’s what Kenji meant when he said he had a feeling his brother might die...since that joke back then...was about Toshi dying. At the time, I just thought it was a joke between them, but now, I’m not so sure_. 

Either way, he’d definitely felt a bond between the brothers. They always seemed to get along. He remembered all the times they’d referenced how Toshi liked to eat cookies. Kenji didn’t like eating them, since they were sugary. Or any desserts for that matter. But there was one thing that stood out to him the most. When Rantaro and Reika first met Toshi, he’d tried telling a joke to them. 

And now that Rantaro thought about it, whenever the mood seemed awkward...Toshi would always tell a joke. Even if it wasn’t that good. Maybe that was his way of comforting others...by making light of our situation--telling jokes. Rantaro realized. And...there was one more thing Toshi had done when they’d first met. He’d asked, _“Have you seen my dear brother?”_ Now here they were, talking about him. _I think I can really see the love they shared though. After this Class Trial...I want to do everything I can to help Kenji too_. Rantaro thought. 

He knew what it was like to lose a sibling. It had happened when his family had taken a boat trip, years ago. Rantaro had really enjoyed traveling, and listening to the sounds of the water lapping against the boat. However, the moment they reached the docks, he selfishly set off on an adventure. He didn’t realize it at the time, but his youngest sister, Hanako, had followed him. 

He’d been especially close to her. She always seemed to follow him around, wherever he went. But that day, he wished she hadn’t followed him. To this day, he was still in pain. Although he vowed to find her, he had a feeling he knew what happened to her. But he wouldn’t let himself believe it...until he saw the truth with his own eyes. But he was sure that Kenji would always be affected by Toshi’s death. 

After all, Rantaro still missed Hanako, even after all these years. So he was sure that the pain would probably never leave. _I don’t even know if Kenji’s okay...he seems like he’s dealing with this all on his own. I don’t want him to hide his emotions either. I always smile and laugh, and pretend like everything’s okay...and I never let on how I truly feel... But that’s why...I don’t want him to become like me_. 

Since their parents weren’t exactly...the best, Rantaro had to always look out for his sisters. As their elder brother, he had to be aware and considerate of things. Such as, his sisters emotions. He’d done the best he could to help them in their times of need. So that’s why, he was always on such high alert towards others’ well-being. 

He was able to pick up little cues that others couldn’t. But of course, he couldn’t pick up everything. But still...however Kenji and Hiikari were feeling right now, he wanted to do all he could for them. _I want to help Kenji and Hiikari in anyway I can. That’s why, I need to solve this mystery. Because they deserve to know the truth_.

“Do you remember what time it was when you two had that argument...?” Rantaro inquired. “It’s okay if you don’t.”

“Of course, moron. It was a little while after you left. After we had that dumb conversation. 12:00 PM exactly.”

_So after 11:30...I don’t know what anyone else was doing other than Kenji, Toshi, and Eri. That’s...not good_. Rantaro thought.

“Thank you, this is very helpful. And Kenji...please don’t hide your emotions. It’s okay to feel them. And it’s okay to grieve. I know you two were close...” Rantaro trailed off. “So...let’s find your brother’s killer...together.” He’d mostly repeated what he told Hiikari, but he still hoped it would help in some way.

Kenji simply shrugged. “I suppose so…”

_Hopefully my words got through to him in some way. And Hiikari too_ … Rantaro thought, as they continued their investigation.

\--Truth Bullet get! Kenji’s Testimony-- 

“Why is this here?” Reika suddenly said. Right in front of them was...a teddy bear. A patched up one at that. There were sewing needles and cloth nearby. The teddy bear, however, had a few noticeable splotches of blood on it. 

_Out of all the things I expected to find, this was not one of them_.

“I don’t see how this is related to this case at all…” Rantaro commented. “You didn’t have any teddy bears in your room or something, right?”

“W-What? No, of course not! I’ve never seen this teddy bear before.” Reika shook her head. “I sure hope it doesn’t come to life in the middle of the night or something…”

“I don’t think that’s possible. But it being here...and having those blood stains...it has to be related somehow.” Rantaro said. _Although, I wouldn’t even know where to begin with this_ … “I think it’s cute though.”

“Y-You _what_?” Reika stuttered.

“I just said I thought it was cute.” Rantaro replied, repeating himself. _I wonder where this teddy bear came from...I can’t imagine who would have one really...well, aside from my sisters, anyway_.

\--Truth Bullet get! Patched up Teddy Bear-- 

Finding nothing else of interest, they talked to Hiroka and Naoki. Naoki was playing with one of the sleeves on her lavender colored sweater. “Ah, Big Bro! I’m nervous about the upcoming Class Trial. It’s almost time, isn’t it…?” Naoki said, tilting her head.

“I’m afraid so.” Rantaro replied.

“Hopefully I don’t say the wrong thing...we’re doing this for Toshi, after all. You know...he kind of reminded me of you, Big Bro. But...I miss having him around...” Naoki murmured.

_He reminded you of me…? I can kind of see it….and yeah, I do miss him too_.

She flicked her short, dark brown hair. “I’m quite shocked myself. He might have been kind of stupid, but I liked that about him. Because he had his own sense of duty, I think. He definitely looked out for others.” she stated, a smile on her face. “In other words, I mean he was his own hero. I’m still trying to be that hero, in my own way.”

_Trying to be your own hero, huh…_? Rantaro thought.

“Your own... hero?” Reika mused beside him.

And then suddenly, an all familiar sound echoed throughout the room. _Ding dong dang dong!_ A nearby monitor flickered on. All the Monokuma Cubs were there, as usual. Although this time so was Monokuma.

“It’s time for the Class Trial!” Monotaro announced. 

“Please make your way to the throne room at this time.” Monosuke said.

“I’ll guide you all to the Class Trial from there! I look forward to it! See ya later!!” Monokuma laughed.

The monitor flickered back off. Rantaro and others waited as everyone came in, one by one. Once everyone arrived, the air seemed to feel ten times heavier. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. Everyone was exchanging glances with each other, glaring at each other…

“Where the hell is this supposed Class Trial?” Isamu spat.

“I-I need to find out who killed Toto!” Hiikari added.

“He was definitely a moron, but I deserve to know.” Kenji said.

“Whoever killed him is among us…” Koemi muttered.

“Pah! Why doesn’t the killer just tell us who they are?!” Sachiko growled.

“I-I don’t know if I want to know!” Naoki cried.

“We need to solve this mystery!” Eri interjected.

“He didn’t deserve to die like this…! Who did it?!” Hiroka chimed in.

“I miss that guy for sure…” Ryuu commented.

“Yes, me too! How could someone stab him like that?!” Ayumi agreed.

“It’s horrifying to think about. And they used the arrow as the weapon…!” Minoru exclaimed.

“And for some reason, he just so happened to have a bolt with him, hmm?” Michi added.

“I-I want to know who killed Toshi too…” Reika said.

Everyone’s voices seemed to merge together. Rantaro stepped through the crowd, and approached the the throne. _I have to do this_ … he thought. Thrones were always the most important part of the throne room. So maybe the way to the Class Trail was through there.And sure enough, he was right. The throne slid down through a hole in the floor. An automated platform took its place, and the wall behind it shifted to the left. It revealed an elevator, waiting for them to step onto.

“We’ve got to...get on?” Reika stammered.

“It seems that way. I haven’t been on many elevators in my life though…” Koemi admitted.

“You know, we can still turn back,” Minoru said. “We don’t have to go to this Class Trial.”

“But if we don’t go, another one of us could get killed! And I’d hate to think what Monokuma and the Monokuma Cubs would say if we don’t go either!” Ryuu reasoned.

“Then...all we can do is move forward,” Rantaro said. “It will be okay...I’m sure. Maybe we don’t have a plan on how to get out of here yet, but I think we’ll be able to think of one eventually. After all, you are all my classmates.” And then, without waiting for anyone’s response, he stepped inside the elevator. Everyone else slowly filed in, and then the elevator closed, and they descended. 

“This is cool! I’m actually riding an elevator!” Eri exclaimed.

“Still...I wonder how deep this place is...if we’re still descending.” Hiroka mused.

“I suppose we’ll find out when we get there, won’t we?” Kenji sighed.

“Wahhh, I don’t really like going so far underground…” Hiikari cried.

Reika, who was nearby, wandered over to where Rantaro was standing. To him, it felt like they were plummeting at a slow rate, and that it seemed to keep going and going...but while they were waiting, Reika asked, “Will you tell me about what Sachiko meant now…?” 

Rantaro balled his fist. _I don’t really want to bring it up_ … Rantaro stared at the elevator doors. “I lost her, along with all my other sisters…” Rantaro answered.

Reika titled her head. “Huh…? Wait...so she was lying then?”

But Rantaro didn’t answer. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, they reached their destination. The elevator came to a halt, and the doors slowly opened. And waiting beyond those doors...was the Class Trial. There were fifteen seats going around in a circle.There was a small platform and throne above the seats.The “windows” were stained glass, depicting dragons on them. As they all stepped off the elevator, the Monokuma Cubs greeted them from the far side of the room.

“Welcome to the Class Trial!” They greeted.

“I hope you’re ready for some thrilling action!” Monotaro said, dragging out his shurikens.

“This will be on a whole different level than the daily life you’ve been living up until now…” Monosuke added.

“Ohh, this will be intense~!” Monofunny agreed.

“I wish you good luck.” Monodam added.

_Hmm...it seems this resembles a court room of some sorts. But...it sounds like they’re mocking us_. Rantaro thought.

Suddenly, Monokuma joined them, appearing out of nowhere as usual. He was standing on the throne. “Ahh, I’m excited for this! Nothing beats watching the life and death of my fellow students! It’s the best form of entertainment!”

“How can you say such things so casually...?!” Hiikari cried.

“Ahh, that’s because it’s the best form of pleasure! Upupu!” Monokuma snickered.

“So, how do begin the Class Trial?” Rantaro asked, changing the subject.

“First, why don’t you all go to your assigned seats? They have your names written on them!” 

Rantaro and everyone else did as they were told and found their assigned seats. As they all stood, staring at each other from every angle, Rantaro’s mind raced back to the image of Toshi’s dead body. 

_Toshi Handa, the Super High School Level Comedian...there was something special about him_. Even if they didn't admit to it at the time, he was sure that everyone had appreciated his presence. _And...I did too, in my own way. No one has ever dubbed me as a “leader” before...and before he was killed...he helped Hiikari. So that’s why...I’m going to find the culprit. For everyone’s sake. That’s all I can do for Toshi right now...the culprit is one of us, like it or not. And, after we do find the culprit, I’ll do my best to think of a plan. A plan to end this killing game, so that it doesn’t claim any more lives. So for now...I’m going to risk everything to find out how and why Toshi was killed!_


	7. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Class Trial Preparation

**\--Truth Bullets--**

**Monokuma File #1 -** The victim is Toshi Handa, the Super High School Level Comedian. The body was discovered on the first floor in the main entrance hall. The time of death is approximately 7:05 PM. The cause of death is several stabs wounds through the abdomen. There are no other external wounds.

**Cracks in the Fountain -** A round shape was found at the base of the fountain, the origin of all the cracks. The cracks go upward, and there is a large dent going through them. Also, there is a complete lack of a blood on the fountain at all.

**Bloodied Arrow -** An arrow was found next to Toshi’s body, covered in blood. It is unknown where this arrow came from.

**Bracelet Piece -** This was also found near Toshi’s body. It closely resembles a bolt, but not exactly. It’s actually made out of wood and painted. According to Reika, Toshi asked her to help him make a bracelet. She believes this “bolt” is a part of that bracelet.

**Stream of Water -** This was found leading away from the body. It’s possible it washed away some evidence.

**Broken Black Piece of Yarn -** Toshi was holding this in his hand. The reason why he had this with him is unknown.

**Isamu’s Testimony -** After Eri’s lecture, at 6:30 PM, he supposedly lost his arrow.

**Broken Glass Shards -** These were nearby the crown case. Blood is on the tips of the shards.

**Damaged Crown -** The entire glass case containing it was completely broken. There is a noticeably large depression on one side, along with several slash marks. However, the crown was supposedly protected by lasers.

**Spots of Blood -** Splotches of blood were found on the other side of the crown case. They seem to be leading away from the crown.

**Misplaced Book -** A mysterious book that was lying on the ground. The corner of it has a bend, and a page seems to have been ripped out of it. Supposedly someone snuck up on Isamu and he was hit with it, although it’s quite heavy.

**Eri’s Testimony -** She went to gather everyone around 4:00 PM for her lecture. At 4:05 PM, the first person she went to find was Toshi. He was in the throne room at the time, and claimed he was busy. He was apparently holding something that Eri couldn’t see. It took Eri half an hour to gather almost everyone, Rantaro being the last to arrive. Her lecture took two hours.

**Michi’s Testimony -** She lost her floor layout on the day after everyone played golfing. She didn’t find it again until earlier today, at 10:30 AM. The time she lost it prior to that is unknown.

**Floor Layout -** A diagram depicting the entire first floor and the dungeon. It has shapes to indicate where objects are.

**Open Bookshelf -** One of the glass cases was found open. The books inside were all slanted. However, these bookcases all had locks on them. The lock on this bookcase looked like it was easily opened. And supposedly, there are no keys anywhere other than the room keys.

**Hiikari’s Testimony -** Hiikari met up with Toshi earlier today at 10:45 AM. Hiikari gave back something Toshi lost. Toshi also gave Hiikari a metal bracelet, which she now wears around her arm.

**Kenji’s Testimony -** Kenji and Toshi got into an argument at 12:00 PM sharp. This was half an hour later after Rantaro and Kenji talked. Toshi argued to Kenji about how they needed to do something quickly, or someone would be killed. 

**Patched up Teddy Bear -** Mysteriously found in the throne room. There are some pieces of cloth and sewing needles by it. For some reason, it also has a few blood stains on it.


	8. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 6, Unordinary Days -

**\- CLASS TRIAL IS IN SESSION -**

All the dark blue walls in the room were covered with stained glass “windows.” The windows depicted dragons on them doing various things. Some breathed fire while others soared the sky. And some were just plain sleeping. All of the students seats went around in a full circle, allowing them to see everyone. On a raised platform, the Monokuma Cubs sat, a few of them snickering. A little higher above them, on top of a throne, sat Spade Castle’s headmaster--and the one responsible for making them participate in this killing game. Monokuma. 

Rantaro stood between Hiroka and Ryuu. A few seats across from him sat a portrait of Toshi’s face, with a giant red x going through it. _Even here...Monokuma’s trying to hurt us. I bet that when another of my classmate’s die...he’ll make another one. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse...but more importantly...I hope Hiikari and Kenji are okay. Having to see the face of someone close to you that you just lost...it has to be painful_.

All his classmates were fidgeting in their seats, waiting for the Class Trial to start. Everyone kept glancing back and forth at each other, before quickly looking away. Reika was the only one who stared at him directly. _Let’s solve this murder_ , they seemed to say. Rantaro nodded. 

A moment later, Monokuma cleared his throat. Immediately, everyone’s eyes darted up to where Monokuma was seated, looming over them. _He’s sitting up there like a king_ … Rantaro thought. _The kind of king that oversees everything...with absolute authority. And the kind of king...that also sits back and watches. Heh, ironic. Since this is a castle after all, I guess it’s pretty fitting. But this Class Trial...we need to win_. 

“Let’s begin with an explanation of the Class Trial!” Monokuma began. “During the Class Trial you will discuss, “Who is the culprit?” and the outcome will be determined through your votes. If you guess correctly, then only the culprit receives punishment. However, if you pick the wrong person...everyone but the culprit gets punished. The culprit then gets to graduate from Spade Castle! Also, please make sure to vote, otherwise a terrible fate awaits you! Now then, let’s start this thrilling Class Trial!” Monokuma declared.

Rantaro crossed his arms, “So...this is it.” Rantaro said. _I need to figure out this murder_ … he thought. Everyone’s lives were on the line here. They needed to be very through with the evidence, and everyone’s actions. If they wanted to get out of this alive, anyway. But he had to solve this murder, for Kenji and Hiikari’s sake’s. If he could at least do one thing right...then it was this. He took several deep breaths, clearing his mind. This way, he could think clearly without too many distractions. 

“Ahhh, I’m looking forward to this…!” Reika exclaimed, clasping her hands together.

“Why are you so damn excited?” Isamu spat, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black jacket.

Reika rested her head on her hand, “Hmm? I’m just interested in finally solving this murder, is all.”

“But where do we even begin? There was so much evidence everywhere…” Hiroka sighed, shaking her head.

“Let’s start with what we do know, and then what seems unclear.” Rantaro suggested. A starting point was good. If they could figure out the problems from there, then they were making progress.

“I-If this helps us find Toto’s killer...then...let’s do it!” Hiikari agreed.

_She’s really trying her best, isn’t she?_ Rantaro noted. There was a certain shine in Hiikari’s mechanical eyes, something that hadn’t been there before. She was doing this...for the sake of the Class Trial. Despite what she was going through... he found that admirable. 

“The motive was to be able to get a different talent, yeah? I can see why that might strike somebody’s interest…” Ryuu mused.

“Pah! You’re one to talk!” Sachiko retorted, jabbing a finger at him. 

It _was_ true that Ryuu always went on about how unhappy he was with his talent. After all, he’d even gone through the trouble of making them play golf, just to see how horrible it was...

“Hey, I told ya I wouldn’t kill somebody for a reason like that…” Ryuu grunted.

“Mmm, we’ll see about that.” Michi said icily, adjusting her glasses. 

“Well, since we already know how my brother died...then what I want to know is...how was the fountain broken?” Kenji asked, changing the topic. He had already jumped ahead to one of Rantaro’s biggest questions. 

When they’d passed by it earlier today, before the murder, it looked the same as it had always been. Plus, the fountain looked considerably hard to break, since it was made out of marble. Upon inspecting it, he’d found it was broken enough to create a stream of water, along with having a bunch of cracks running through it. _Ah, that’s right_. He realized. _The answer lies there_.

“Toshi’s body was discovered in the main entrance hall…” Koemi began.

“Supposedly he died of stab wounds there…” Minoru added.

“He was probably just admiring the fountain...until he got killed!” Eri exclaimed.

“But he could have done that at any time…” Naoki disagreed.

“So then maybe **the fountain was already broken when he got there!** ” Ayumi realized.

“After all, **nothing else could have caused it to break! It was probably the Exisal’s doing!** ” Hiroka reasoned.

_Hmm, the Exisal broke it? Is that really true_ \--? Rantaro wondered, before he realized it. There was a piece of evidence that proved otherwise. “No, that’s wrong!” Rantaro interjected. “An Exisal _couldn’t_ have caused it to break.” Rantaro disagreed.

“Eh? Really? Why’s that?” Hiroka asked.

“When I examined the fountain for myself, I found a strange round shape at the bottom of it. From what I could tell, it seemed to be the origin of the cracks.” Rantaro explained. And now that he thought about it, there was only one thing that could make that shape. 

Something that he’d completely overlooked--the evidence that had been sitting there this whole time. He turned to Hiikari, who was some ways across from him, standing between Isamu and Koemi. Hiikari noticed him staring at her and her whole body started shuddering. “Hiikari... _you_ were the one who made that round shape.”

“H-Huh? I...I didn’t do that, I swear!” Hiikari cried, clutching the sides of her head. Her short, light pink, spiky hair brushed against her metal bracelet.

_I’m not accusing you_ … “No, you _did_ do it,” Rantaro insisted. “Yesterday, when we were playing golf...when it was your turn, the ball hit the fountain, and cracked it. Of course, it didn’t crack it that much at the time. But it served as the origin for all the other cracks later on, which I think made the fountain easier to break.” The only reason that little crack had happened at the time was because of Hiikari herself. One breakfast she’d mentioned to Rantaro, Koemi, and Naoki that she had four times the strength of a normal human. She’d said that aside from that, her creator--Professor Idabashi--had made her as human as possible. 

And Rantaro truly believed that. She clearly expressed emotions and knew how to read them, “slept” when all his classmates did, and she could talk and think and remember things. To him, that was more than enough to be qualified as human. And...Toshi had said something similar to Hiikari once too. _He really did look out for her_ … Rantaro thought.

Hiikari stopped trembling, letting out an audible sigh. “Ohh...thank goodness.” she breathed. 

_I’m sorry if that came out as harsh_ … Rantaro thought, gritting his teeth. ... _but that was the only way I could explain it_...

“The way you worded that sounds like there’s more reasons why the fountain broke,” Kenji said, raising an eyebrow at him. “You wouldn’t happen to know why, would you?”

_Kenji...he really wants to find out the truth. I can only fathom what he’s thinking right now_ … Rantaro thought. He didn’t have anything to hide, so he’d tell him everything he knew. _Except, the only thing that might be used against me...is the time when I was in my room. He really hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but he had a feeling it would_. If it did, he hoped he could figure something out in time...

“Possibly. I can’t say for certain, though.” Rantaro replied. “There was something else I found on the cracks. A large dent was going through them.”

“Oh! I remember that now!” Reika agreed, nodding vigorously. “A golf ball couldn’t make that. So...I was plainly thinking...something else made that mark.”

Rantaro cupped his hand under his chin. It had certainly been unusual. He’d guessed that was what finally caused part of the fountain to break. But only something heavy could have done that...images flashed in his head of all the possibilities. There was only one thing that stood out to him the most. “The crown.” he blurted out.

Eri narrowed her eyes. “But when I went in there before, Robo Bear and his children were all like “IT IS DEFENDED BY LASERS OF DOOM AND DEATH!!” she argued, doing her best impersonation of Monokuma and the Monokuma Cubs. 

“HEY, I’M NOT “ROBO BEAR”!!” Monokuma spat, unsheathing his claws. “Neither are my beloved children!! If yer gonna give us a nickname, it better be “Mono” at the very least!” Monokuma objected.

The Monokuma Cubs all nodded in agreement. Well, almost everyone. Monodam was the only one who hadn’t.

_Mono? Seriously? Just because they all have “Mono” in the beginning of their names?_ Rantaro thought silently to himself. But Eri had made an excellent point. It was true that the Monokuma Cubs had told Rantaro and Reika that when they first explored. And yet...the entire case containing the crown had been broken. _Either someone figured out how to cheat the system_ , Rantaro thought, _Or there were never any lasers to begin with_.

“However, when Reika and I investigated, we found that the crown had definitely been damaged. There was a giant depression on one side of it, and it had several slash marks.” That giant depression could have only been made if the crown had hit something really hard.

“Are you saying you think it could have been used to break the fountain?” Koemi inquired.

Rantaro nodded. “It’s certainly a possibility.” If the crown had been used to break the fountain, then it made sense, in a way. It would explain the giant depression and how the fountain finally broke. But what didn’t make sense to him was why. Why would the culprit break the fountain? To him, that seemed like it was quite tedious to do. And he wasn’t sure what it would accomplish in the end.

“So we cleared that up! Are you happy now, Kenji?” Sachiko snickered.

Kenji rolled his eyes. “Yes, you moron. For now, at least.” he added.

“T-Then...the next thing I want to know is...where that bloody arrow near Toto came from…” Hiikari stammered, tapping her index fingers together.

Ah, the murder weapon. That was one of the other things that he’d been wondering. When he and Reika had examined the Antique Shop earlier, they hadn’t found any arrows in there. Although, after thinking about it for a while, he already had a feeling he knew where it came from. At that moment, everyone seemed to turn to Isamu. They were all staring at his empty hands. Usually, there was something he’d always be holding in one of them. But now, that _“something”_ wasn’t there.

“I bet you murdered Toshi, didn’t you!” Hiroka snarled, slamming her hands down on her seat. “You always seem to hate on everyone and everything! I bet you wanted to hurt Hiikari and Kenji! Because that’s the kind of person you are! No wonder why you’re a _Hunter_.”

“Y-You wouldn’t really do that...would you?” Hiikari asked, her ahoge drooping.

Isamu’s eyes darkened, his long uneven bangs falling in front of his eyes. There was a long, deep silence. 

_No...I don’t believe that Isamu killed Toshi. I’ve seen some parts of him that no one else has seen. Because they aren’t willing to give him a chance. They think he’s cruel, and tough, and mean...but I...don’t think that. I think there’s more to Isamu than that. Which is why I have to defend him, here and now!_

“You’re a murderer!” Hiroka spat.

“You never liked my brother, did you?” Kenji growled.

“Who else could have done it?” Minoru hissed.

“It had to have been him. Who else carried the murder weapon with them?” Koemi stated.

“ **I didn’t do it, damn it…** ” Isamu muttered, not meeting anyone’s gazes.

_Only I can figure out the truth here...everyone seems to agree that Isamu did it. I won’t allow us to reach a decision so soon!_

“I agree with Isamu!” Rantaro yelled, his voice drowning everyone else’s. “Isamu didn’t murder Toshi.” Rantaro shook his head. And plus, there was something about Isamu. Rantaro didn’t know how to describe it. But the air surrounding him seemed almost...mysterious. As much as he claimed to be the “Super High School Level Hunter”, he never struct Rantaro as the type. And, now that he thought about it...he’d never even seen Isamu physically hurt someone. Sure, he had a bit of a sharp tongue, but that was about it. 

“Where’s your proof, then?” Hiroka huffed.

“Isamu told me something interesting earlier. After Eri gathered the majority of us for her lecture, Isamu lost his arrow. And that was at 6:30 PM, _before the murder_ .” Rantaro said firmly. In the corner of his eye, he noticed Isamu glance back up at him. There was an unreadable expression in his eyes, but they looked...soft. Like they had that one time, he was sure of it. The time when Toshi and Hiikari had first hugged… _Isamu… I want to get to know you better sometime_.

“How do you know if he was telling the truth, though?” Minoru asked. “He could have very well been lying.”

Rantaro remembered Isamu shoving his hands into his pockets, back then too. Normally, if he’d been carrying his arrow, he’d only shove one hand into his pockets. But then, and now...he had both hands in them. Since, well, shoving both your hands into your pockets while holding an arrow was...not a good idea. _He wasn’t lying back then_ , Rantaro thought. _His reactions to losing his arrow seemed rather genuine_ …

Everyone was staring at Rantaro, waiting for him to say something. There was another piece of evidence that further proved that Isamu was not the culprit. Something that Isamu had told them about, that he’d forgotten… Rantaro closed his eyes for a moment, the piece of evidence seeming to spell itself out in his mind. 

“There was a misplaced book in the Antique Shop,” he began. “I picked it up--it was pretty heavy. Isamu told me that someone snuck up on him and hit him with it. I think the culprit probably stole his arrow then, intending to frame him.” Rantaro reasoned. _There would have been enough time between the murder and stealing his arrow_... “Also, as a side note, the book had a page ripped out of it. It was about an upcoming game.” _And for some reason, I have a feeling I know what that ripped out page was_ …

“Where did they get the book though?” Ayumi asked.

“The library,” Michi scoffed. “Anyone with eyes could clearly see it.” she tapped her clipboard with her pencil for emphasis. 

She did have a point. There was something in the library that clearly showed that someone had been there. _The bookcase_ . Rantaro thought, envisioning how it looked in his mind. Someone had to have opened it with a key, and not picked the lock. And secondly, someone had to have taken a book off the bookcase, judging by the state of the slanted books. _But where would they have gotten a key though?_ he wondered. 

That had been his biggest question. If they could figure that out, then that would clear Isamu from suspicion. Rantaro closed his eyes, feeling as though his mind was surfing through a sea of questions. He could feel himself getting closer to the answer...piecing all the evidence that was relevant up to this point…

Rantaro’s eyes flew open, and he found himself staring directly at the individual who might hold the answer. They shrunk back, as if guessing what he was going to say next. “Eri…” Rantaro began. “Would you mind telling everyone your testimony?” 

Eri slowly stood up straighter. “Y-Yes, of course…” she stammered. She adjusted her little bowtie on her brown school uniform. Clearing her throat, she began, “I went to gather everyone around 4:00 PM for my lecture. At 4:05 PM, the first person I went to see was Toshi. I found him in the throne room at the time, but he refused to come. He said he was busy. Soooo…” 

Eri started stroking a strand of her frizzy orange hair, “I left. But it looked like he was holding something, but I couldn’t see what it was. And it took me half an hour to gather almost everyone, although Rantaro was the last to arrive. And my lecture took two full hours!” Eri explained.

_Of course she had to include that I was late_ … Rantaro thought.

Ayumi put a hand under her chin. “Hmm...then it may be possible Toshi had the key. Although it still doesn’t explain where he got it from…”

_If he really did have the key, does that explain why he also had _that_ thing in his hand?_

Minoru narrowed his eyes. “But if Rantaro was the last to arrive, what was he doing before then? Shouldn’t we all be asking that question as well?” 

Rantaro braced himself. He had a feeling this would come up sooner or later. Now he had to defend himself too...except he didn’t really have anything to defend himself with. Isamu had a better alibi than him. No, actually...Rantaro didn’t even have an alibi. _This isn’t going to go well_ … 

“Big Bro, you will tell us, right…?” Naoki asked.

The air seemed to grow heavier. In the corner of his eye, he could see Monokuma and his children snickering. A voice rang in his head: _Just tell the truth_. Feeling he had no other choice, he said, “...I was in my room.”

“But how do we know you were in there the entire time?” Koemi pointed out. 

_Even my own sister is suspecting me_ … Even though they’d known each other for years. Koemi was always quick to pick up on things. That’s how she got so intrigued by all the various types of flowers out in the world. She’d made her own little journal, with flowers pressed inside it. They had descriptions for each and how to identify them. 

She’d also kept track of what environments they liked best. Because of her skill, she able to be crowned as a “Super High School Level.” And supposedly, she’d helped her mother name Hanako. Koemi had brought in flowers on the day Hanako was born, and she seemed to like them. That’s how Koemi and Naoki’s mother had come to name her. 

Koemi had always been the type to look out for others, too. She was really close with Naoki, and Rantaro felt an unbreakable sibling bond between them. The flower that Koemi wore in her hair, was a white lily. It wasn’t a real one of course, but it always seemed to give her this softness. Rantaro had bought it for her on one of her birthdays and she’d worn it ever since. 

Not only that, but Koemi’s interests helped Rantaro to appreciate nature more. That was one of the reasons he loved to see all the wonderful sights while traveling. Because he stopped to take the time to admire them. And it was thanks to Koemi that Rantaro loved to take Hanako to the field of flowers nearby their house. Carrying Hanako over his shoulders, she’d laugh and point at all sorts of things. Hanging out with his two sisters on those special days had made Rantaro happier.

And now...here they were, trapped in this killing game. They’d already lost a dear friend and classmate. And his sister was now questioning him of possibly murdering him. _How did it come to this?_ Rantaro thought, staring at everyone’s faces. Hiikari’s seemed to pierce right through his heart. 

Her expression was a mix between anger, sadness, and fear. I didn’t kill Toshi. Rantaro tried to silently say. But Hiikari’s glare still bore into him, unmoved. _I vowed that I would never kill anyone here...but in this Class Trial, no one would believe my words_. Rantaro did the last thing he could think of. He pulled out his diary, and opened up one of the pages, displaying it for everyone to see.

“I’ve been writing in this ever since we got here,” he began, pointing to the date in the corner of the page. It was four days ago. “That’s what I was doing in my room earlier.”

“Y-You keep a diary?” Hiikari stammered.

“So you weren’t lying back then.” Isamu said. He was referencing when Rantaro had made his first real attempt to speak with him. 

They’d accidentally bumped into each other in the hallway, just after Rantaro had gotten Naoki’s wooden panther. Isamu had picked it up and stared at it before giving it back to him. And then...Rantaro blurted out a bunch of things, which, now that he thought about it...probably came out as too pushy. _But he remembered_ … He noted. _Does that mean he _did_ listen to what I said back then?_

Rantaro scratched the back of his head. “Yeah, I wanted one ever since I saw that Naoki had one. It _does_ help to write your thoughts and feelings down in it, though.” he admitted.

“B-Big Bro! Don’t bring up something so embarrassing!” Naoki cried.

“Ah, sorry…”

“Pfft, that’s so girly, Brother! I can’t believe you write in that thing!” Sachiko mocked, breaking into laughter.

“Yeah, what’s your point?” Rantaro asked.

“My point is...what’s going on with your latest entry? Why are your words all over the place? It looks like you were feeling...a bit nervous.” Sachiko stated, recovering from her laughter.

_What am I supposed to do now?_ Rantaro thought, gritting his teeth. Just when it seemed like maybe he had some hope, it all crashed and burned. He’d been on edge because of Monokuma’s motive. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about the possibility of someone dying. That’s what caused everything to become a big, scrawly mess on the paper.

“R-Rantaro, don’t tell me…” Hiikari didn’t finish the sentence.

“I swear if you…” Kenji began, but then coughed loudly. “I mean...I really hope you didn’t do what I think you did…”

“I-It can’t be true, right? Please tell me it’s not!” Naoki shook her head.

_I’m the number one suspect now_... Rantaro thought. _Even if I do bring up another piece of evidence, it doesn’t give me an alibi_. He slammed his eyes shut, balling his fist.

“W-Wait!!” a voice cried in the darkness. 

Everyone stopped talking--and deep silence followed. Slowly opening his eyes, Rantaro turned to see who’d just yelled. 

“I forgot to tell you all something…!” They breathed. It was Reika. “I was with Rantaro! At the time, he’d dismissed saying that he had a diary...and told me it was a travel journal! But when I was with him, I saw the truth! It was a diary!”

Rantaro’s eyes widened. _Reika...you told the truth while telling a lie_ . When they’d first come to the library, Rantaro had jokingly admitted that since all the books were locked up, maybe he could lock up his diary too. Reika had given him a funny look and response at the time, so he just corrected himself, and called it a travel journal. But now Reika had just lied...for _him_.

“Pah, I knew he was damn girly.” Isamu snorted. “But why do you think there was a bolt found near Toshi’s body?” he asked, changing the subject. _Isamu…thank you_.

“First of all, **it’s not a bolt**!” Reika interjected.

“Are you sure that bolt didn’t come from Hiikari?” Minoru asked.

“It’s clearly a bolt, Reika.” Michi disagreed.

“I-It wasn’t from me!!” Hiikari cried. “Honest!”

_It’s natural to assume that upon first glance. But only one other person knows the truth_.

“I agree with Reika!” Rantaro yelled. “Reika told me that it’s not a bolt. It just _looks_ like one.” he explained. 

“Then please enlighten me, Rantaro. How is it not a bolt?” Michi demanded, pushing her glasses up her nose.

“It’s made out of wood, and painted. It was something Reika brought with her the other day. It was the closest thing she could find to being the shape of a bolt.” Rantaro answered.

Yesterday, Reika had called Toshi, Isamu, Minoru, and Rantaro to the throne room. They’d thought it was something serious...but in actuality, she just wanted to make things with them. Rantaro still wasn’t sure why she chose the four of them specifically, but regardless, they had spent the time making crafts. 

During that time, Reika had left to go get some materials and came back. Afterward, she and Toshi spent the rest of the time making something together--a bracelet. Reika had theorized that this “bolt” was from the bracelet they made.

_But she never told me what the bracelet looked like when they finished it yesterday_ … Rantaro realized. He turned to Reika, who was absent-mindedly twirling her finger around some of her short, blond hair. 

“Reika...what did that bracelet look like when you were done with it?” he asked, a finger underneath his chin.

“B-Bracelet? What are you talking about, Rantaro?” Ayumi asked.

“Indeed. Do you have another piece of evidence to show us?” Minoru chimed in.

But Rantaro ignored them both. _This is something only Reika can answer_ … he thought.

“Hmm? Ah, the bracelet. **I can show it to you.** ” Reika said.

_She can...show it to us? But...that statement feels off. No, it _is_ off. There’s something that clearly contradicts what she just said_ … Rantaro’s eyes widened. Wagging his finger he said, “No, that’s incorrect!”

“H-Huh? How is what I just said wrong…?” Reika asked, titling her head.

“You can’t show it. Because _you don’t have it_.” Rantaro shook his head. “But someone here does. Right?” he said, gesturing to Hiikari. 

Hiikari placed her hands over her metallic, pink scarf. “Yes…” she turned to Reika, lowering her head. “I’m sorry I didn’t say this sooner...Earlier today, I met up with Toto. It was at 10:45 AM. H-He’d lost something, so I thought I’d return it to him. T-That very item he lost...was that bracelet piece you two worked on.” Her mechanical eyes glanced down at the metal bracelet around her wrist. 

_So that’s why Toshi wanted it to look like a bolt_ … Rantaro realized.

“In return, he gave me this metal bracelet. But...there’s a little hole where something should be. The bracelet piece he lost...H-He must not have gotten it back on…” Hiikari’s shoulders and ahoge slumped.

_And that’s why she wears that around her wrist now. Because it’s from Toshi_ …

“Ah, no, it’s fine. He had to have gotten it back on...surely.” Reika tried to reassure her.

Hiikari perked up a little bit. “Y-Yeah...he had to.”

“Ugh, it got all sappy in here again! I hate sappy scenes! And sappy moments!” Sachiko growled, stopping those two from talking any further. “The worst part of acting, for sure…”

“I must agree. We’re here to figure out this murder and find the culprit. We can save... _those_ moments until after we get through this.” Michi spat.

_So, to _you,_ people aren’t allowed to express themselves_? Rantaro thought, gritting his teeth. 

“More importantly...you brought up a very interesting point, Hiikari. Because something happened between those 15 minutes that you met up with Toshi.” Michi continued. “I lost my floor layout on the day we all played that idiotic golfing game. And I didn’t find it again _until 10:30 AM_. I have no idea what time I lost it prior to that.” Michi stated. “Interestingly enough I met Rantaro and Minoru at that time.” 

_She didn’t mention that when she found it again, it was nearby the fountain...that’s crucial evidence!_ “I just found it by the fountain...I didn’t have it before that.” Rantaro explained.

Reika pointed her finger at Minoru.“So it was _you_ !” she exclaimed. “You did it! It’s _always_ the butler!”

Minoru took a step back, his butler outfit swaying as he did so. “ **N-No...I would never…** ”

“Then prove it.” Kenji said. “If you didn’t steal it, surely you can tell us something.”

Minoru shook his head. “P-Please believe me...I’m not that kind of person!”

“ “Not that kind of person”, my ass!” Isamu hissed, leaning forward. “You’re lying!” Staring at his red scarf, he added quietly, “Only wimps lie to everyone.”

_Everyone’s driving Minoru into a corner…but I think he’s telling the truth. There’s something that points to the truth, I can feel it...wait...that’s it!_

“I agree with Minoru!” Rantaro said.

“Huh? Why do ya believe him?” Ryuu demanded, his short black hair flying.

“Remember that ripped out page in that book?” Rantaro began. “The book was ironically about an upcoming game...so that’s why...I believe that Michi ripped out that page. Because it had the floor layout on it!” 

“Even if that page did have the floor layout on it...how does that relate to Minoru possibly stealing it later?” Koemi pressed.

_She’s still convinced it was Minoru too_ …

“But earlier, Michi stated that the book came from the library. Which means it had to have come from the open bookcase in the library! She would _have had to use a key to get in there_!” Rantaro explained. “I don’t know where she put it afterward, but someone had to have known she’d taken the floor layout. And then later...they plotted to steal it!” 

“So the question is...where did Michi get the key?” Hiroka demanded.

Michi smirked. “Oh, isn’t it obvious? I’m the _one who stole the key from someone_.”

_She stole the key from someone?_ Rantaro wondered. There was something that had been bothering him for a long time, actually, now that he thought about it. He’d never brought it up to anyone because he thought maybe he was just overreacting, but now...he didn’t think so. It was on the day he met a certain someone. No, the day they met everyone. A boy with unusual orange eyes had been standing outside his cell, leaning against the wall. It was Toshi.

He’d snapped his fingers when Rantaro had asked him this question: “ _How did you free yourself?_ ” and the boy’s response had been: “ _Oh ho! Someone’s finally asked me that question! And the answer is...not even I know! Must be the old magic trick! Open sesame! Yeah, that’s how I got out_.” At the time, it hadn’t seemed _that_ unusual. 

Hiroka had been going around and freeing everyone else from their cells. Well, aside from Rantaro and Reika anyway. But Hiroka had only freed the prisoners _on one side of the dungeon_. Which means...that boy--Toshi--had to have freed himself somehow. _The key_ , Rantaro realized. _That’s what he must have used to free his brother too. Maybe without even realizing it...but that would mean he had a key in his cell. Or one on him. And that also means...if Toshi had a key...Michi stole it from him_. 

“How did you steal it from Toshi?” Rantaro inquired.

“My brother had a key with him…?” Kenji mused.

“W-What? It was Toto?” Hiikari exclaimed.

“Ohh, just when he was eating breakfast one day. He left it on the table when he went to put his dishes away.” Michi stated. “So naturally I took it for myself. And that’s when I discovered that petty library. One book caught my interest, so I opened it. Just as the boy has said, I ripped the floor layout out of that book. However, I foolishly left that bookcase open.”

_She left it open? That doesn’t seem like something she’d do_...

“But then, as payback, someone stole your floor layout from _you_ !” Eri realized.

“Yes,” Michi admitted. “I was careless. I had left it in my room that day.”

“Which means whoever stole it had to be the culprit, right?!” Eri asked.

_Why would the culprit need Michi’s floor layout, though? Unless_ … “But wouldn’t the culprit have stolen it...so that they could _hide their murder_?” Rantaro pointed out.

Reika clasped her hands, “Ohh! Do you mean because the floor layout also has all those shapes which indicate where objects are?” 

Rantaro nodded. “Exactly. Think about it. With the floor layout, the culprit can clearly see the line of vision from both hallways. So they would be able to commit their murder plan _out of sight_!”

“Which means we wouldn’t realize Toshi was dead...unless we actually entered the area!” Naoki said.

“Yeah. But...it doesn’t solve this mystery. We’re no step closer to finding the culprit than we were in the beginning…” Rantaro trailed off. _I’m failing Kenji, Hiikari, and Toshi_ … he thought. With the evidence they’d figured out up to this point, the murder still didn’t make sense. Why Toshi died, how he died, what the murderer was doing, and most of all...what Toshi _himself_ was doing. 

And there was still evidence that hadn’t even been mentioned yet in the slightest. The thing that bothered him the most though, out of all the evidence, was the one thing that didn’t belong. The patched up teddy bear. No matter how hard he thought about it, it didn’t make any sense to him. How could _a teddy bear_ be related to a murder? And what would that teddy bear _do_ for them?

“N-No, that’s not true!” Hiikari disagreed, shaking her head. “We’ve made lots of progress so far!” 

“Then allow me to help,” Kenji announced, raising his head. His grayish brown hair fell a little over the corners of his eyes as he said, “I’ll bring us all a few steps closer to figuring out our culprit. Since I think I already know who it is.”

_He already knows who it is? Then Kenji...why haven’t you said anything up until now? Kenji...just what are you hiding_? 

**\- CLASS TRIAL INTERMISSION -**


	9. Chapter 1 - The Start of a Game - Part 7, Unordinary Days -

**\- CLASS TRIAL RESUMED -**

There was a deep silence in the room. Everyone’s gazes had turned to where Kenji was standing. Behind them, the stained glass “windows” almost appeared to moving. The dragons hovering in air, or stood on the ground, their tails lashing. The dark blue walls melted into blackness, leaving them all standing in a void. 

Monokuma, perched up high above them on his throne, was sitting with his paws over his mouth. Most of his children were all leaning forward, waiting to see what would happen next. Although, Monotaro was leaning forward so much he almost fell off the platform he was standing on.

So far in this trial, they had uncovered a lot of things, and cleared up a lot of mysteries. They’d discussed over half the evidence, but it still wasn’t enough. There still wasn’t an explanation for how it led into the murder, or what Toshi had been planning. Although, Rantaro was sure about one thing. Toshi had had a key with him the entire time. He wasn’t sure why Toshi had kept it, but there had to be a reason, he was sure of it. He’d promised to figure out the truth of Toshi’s murder for Kenji, Hiikari, and Toshi’s sakes.

With no obvious clues pointing to the murderer, everyone seemed to be at a loss. Sure, they’d discussed some things at length, but that still didn’t change the fact that the murderer could be anyone. And now...Kenji had just announced that he knew not only who the murderer was, but he also knew some things that would lead them in the right direction. But why now? What had been holding Kenji back? Was there something he really didn’t want to tell everyone but realized he had to? _Whatever the case is_ , Rantaro thought, _I won’t make a decision until we understand everything. That will give us and the culprit a fair chance at this “Killing Game.” So for now, I’m going to listen to what Kenji has to say. I wish there was a better way for me to help him and Hiikari_ …

Kenji rolled his shoulders. “Well, I suppose I’ll begin,” he monotoned. “Half an hour after Rantaro spoke to me...and went to his room to _apparently write in his diary_ ,” Kenji added, narrowing his eyes at Rantaro, “Toshi and and I had an argument at 12:00 PM sharp. He argued that we needed to do something quickly or someone would be killed. Of course, at the time, I had no idea of my brother’s plan.” Kenji stated, standing up straighter. 

_His brother’s plan? So then Toshi really was doing something by himself...but why_? Rantaro wondered. “What do you mean?” he asked, crossing his arms.

“I mean what I said. I’m not obligated to tell you anything if I don’t want to.” Kenji replied.

“But that’s purposefully withholding valuable information!” Reika cried.

“I know that, idiot. Figure the rest out for yourselves.” Kenji grumbled. 

_What’s the use of making that claim from earlier then? I don’t see what Kenji’s really getting at here by telling us his testimony_ … 

“B-But Kenji…” Hiikari began, “The way you worded that sounds like…” she didn’t continue the sentence. It was natural to think that Kenji could be the culprit. Kenji was by far the closest person to Toshi throughout all his life. He would know his brother’s secrets and his brother’s weaknesses and strengths. By far, he definitely seemed like the most suspicious person here. But it didn’t feel right. It was far too early to reach a conclusion. 

They had no decisive evidence that pointed to anyone--which was the major problem in this Class Trial. _We need to figure out something soon_ , Rantaro thought, _Or at some point, we’ll all end up voting. And what if we make a mistake_ …? He balled his fist. No. That wouldn’t happen. They’d find out the truth for sure, starting now.

“Tell us the truth!” Hiroka growled, jabbing a finger at Kenji. “You obviously know more than we do!”

“I bet he did it!” Sachiko added.

“Kenji would never do that sort of thing…” Ayumi disagreed, shaking her head.

“How do you know that for a fact?” Michi demanded.

“I don’t think he would do it either.” Koemi said, nodding in Ayumi’s direction. “And it doesn’t need proof. Because he himself is the proof.”

_Everyone’s opinions seem divided_ … Rantaro realized. They couldn’t progress in the Class Trial at this rate. They all needed to work together to solve this mystery. It was the only way. Having split opinions could lead to them choosing the wrong person when it came to voting. Just as Rantaro opened his mouth to say something, Monokuma was already a few steps ahead of him. 

“It seems like everyone’s opinions are split!!” he cried. “Which means...the only way to solve this is through...a Scrum Debate!!” Monokuma pulled out a key, and inserted it into a keyhole in front of him. Immediately, everyone’s seats began to rise. They were placed on opposite sides, so that they were looking directly at the other team. 

One side believed that Kenji was the culprit. Or… they at least thought he knew more things such as the culprit’s identity, while the other didn’t. Monokuma had risen up to join them, right behind all the action. Naoki, Koemi, Hiikari, Ayumi, Kenji, and Reika were on his team--the team that believed Kenji was innocent. _I need to unify everyone’s opinions_ … Rantaro thought. Being split like this was just what Monokuma wanted. It was adding more excitement and more suspense, from his perspective. But they were going to end that, right here, and right now.

“I bet Kenji **never met up** with Toshi!” Hiroka yelled.

“But he clearly stated **he knew what time it was**!” Naoki disagreed.

“What difference does that make? It could have been **an arranged meeting**.” Michi reasoned.

“It sounds like Toshi went to go see Kenji **of his own free will** , though.” Koemi shook her head.

“But there was **a lack of people that saw Toshi** before then.” Minoru argued.

“B-But **I was the one who saw Toto** before then!” Hiikari contradicted.

“Then explain to us **what Toshi was doing** before 12:00 PM!” Sachiko spat.

“He had to have been **using that key** for something!” Ayumi reasoned.

“Then what I wanna know is... **where is that supposed damn key**?!” Isamu hissed.

“It’s **somewhere safe**.” Kenji stated.

“Well, **that’s awfully vague**!” Ryuu pointed out.

“He **doesn’t want to tell us** , remember?” Reika reminded him.

“That’s right. Kenji wants us to figure this out on our own, for our sakes! **This is our answer**!” Rantaro cried.

And, as if on cue, everyone stopped yelling. All their seats lowered back down into a full circle, and Monokuma’s throne returned to its normal spot. Despite the fact that they’d been in a disagreement for a while, it had opened up new questions and cleared some things up. Kenji had said something interesting back there. He’d at least revealed that he knew where the key that Toshi had was. _I probably shouldn’t press him on this, but...there’s one thing that bothers me_.

“Kenji...you said the key was “somewhere safe.” Is it okay to ask if you would tell us where it is?” Rantaro tried.

Kenji shook his head. “I told you, you have to figure it out for yourself, moron. How many times do I have to explain it, before it to gets through that thick skull of yours?” he complained.

_So he’s really set on not telling us_ … Rantaro thought.

“Although...I suppose I can tell you one more thing. You investigated my brother’s body, yes?” Kenji asked.

They had. Aside from the murder weapon, and the bracelet piece, the only other thing they found was that. That piece of yarn had been hiding in Toshi’s hand. For some reason, he’d had it with him. At the time, Rantaro didn’t understand it’s purpose...but maybe now he did. Glancing up at Kenji, there seemed to be a certain gleam in his eyes. If anything, this was probably what Kenji was getting at.

“Yeah, we did. And we found something interesting.” Rantaro replied.

“There was a broken black piece of yarn in my brother’s hand. That’s the key to solving his mystery.” Kenji informed.

_That’s what I thought. Still...there’s something about the way he worded that_ … Rantaro thought. _Wait...he did mean that _literally_ , didn’t he_?

“So that was part of the key.” Rantaro concluded. It made more sense. That explained how Toshi had a key with him and how the yarn on it broke. Either the killer stole it...or _someone else stole it_. He could imagine how the murder had played out in his mind, the puzzle pieces slowly coming together. It just needed a few more pieces...to fill in those empty holes. And then the puzzle--the answer to this mystery--would be complete. _Once we discuss everything...maybe we’ll be able to figure out...who the culprit really is_.

“Ooo! Then do you think someone washed away the key with that stream of water?” Eri exclaimed, adjusting her imaginary glasses.

The broken cracks in the fountain had caused a stream of water to form at its base. But thankfully, luck had been on their side, as the stream ran away from Toshi's body. But that didn't rule out the possibility of it covering up evidence. He and Reika had concluded that when they'd first discovered it.

“It’s certainly a possibility.” Rantaro replied, nodding. _Although, now that I think about it...There's only one more possibility for how the stream of water could've been used_. he met Eri’s eyes as he said, “...Or they could have used the stream of water...to wash away any bloodstains.” he let that sink in for a moment.

If the killer had indeed used the large stream to wash away any bloodstains, that would make it easier to cover for their murder. They would have looked the same as anyone else when they discovered his body. Because no traces of blood would be left on them. _Of course it wouldn’t be that easy_ … Rantaro thought. _But that might also explain why they broke the fountain… even so, it still doesn’t make any sense. But if they needed to wash away blood, why couldn't they have just reached into the fountain_? he shook his head, letting out an audible sigh. 

“Is something on your mind, Big Bro?” Naoki asked, tilting her head. 

Rantaro held up his hands. “Ah, no… it’s nothing,” he replied. Folding his arms, he changed the topic. “Actually, another thing that has been bothering me is--”

“--Is why there was blood on the tips of those glass shards!” Sachiko said, cutting him off. She flicked her long green hair, a smirk spreading across her face. “It’s okay, Brother. I’ll handle it from here.”

_She’ll handle it from here? No...it’s my responsibility to solve this case_. His eyes swept across all the seats. He stared at Kenji, his grayish brown hair falling over his face. It covered his eyes so Rantaro was unable to see his expression. He'd been silent ever since Rantaro had made the realization about the key. _He’s said all he wants to,_ Rantaro thought, staring at Kenji’s hands tightly gripping his seat. _Don’t worry, Kenji. I’ve almost figured this out_. He told him silently, before turning to Hiikari.

Hiikari was staring intently at the metal bracelet around her wrist. She was caressing the spot where the bracelet piece had fallen out with a finger. The sides of her pink, metallic scarf lit up before turning off again. _I wonder if that’s another way of how she expresses her emotions_ … Rantaro realized. He remembered it lighting up in the investigation, too. It lit up right after Reika had spoken to her. _Maybe that’s how she expresses grief...but then again, I wouldn't know. It could be an entirely different emotion_ … he half closed his eyes, _...Still, I promise I’ve almost figured out the truth. Although, to be honest...I’m not sure if I’m ready for the truth myself_.

But he wanted to be the one to solve this case. If they made any mistakes in their voting, then that was it. Everything up to this point would have all been for nothing. And...he couldn’t afford to let that happen. 

Furrowing his brows, he responded, “No, Sachiko...I can’t allow that.”

“Oh, really?” Sachiko raised an eyebrow. “Then tell me, dear brother...I bet you think this is your responsibility. Just like you thought it was your responsibility to take care of all twelve of your sisters. But what you didn’t tell them...is that you’d abandon them later, and leave them to fend for themselves!” Sachiko retorted, slamming her hands down on her seat. 

“Sachiko...this isn’t the time for this. Right now, we need to--”

“This isn’t the time?! How selfish are you?! You only ever think about how _you_ feel! When have _you_ ever tried to think about how others feel, huh?!” Sachiko pressed, breathing heavily.

“I _have_ tried to consider how others feel,” Rantaro contradicted. “And that’s why...I’m doing this Class Trial. For their sakes. And everyone here. Including _you_ , Sachiko.” he added. Sachiko relaxed a little, so he continued. “Plus, that’s a very good point you brought up. The evidence, I mean. For a long time, I’ve wondered what that meant. But I think now I know.” 

Judging by all the evidence they’d gone over so far, the mystery seemed to spell itself out. Reika and Rantaro had found the glass shards on the right side of the crown case. The weird thing about them had been the blood on the tips. But...looking back at it now, there seemed to be only one logical conclusion. 

“The murderer injured themselves,” Rantaro began. “It happened when they broke the glass case. The reason the blood was only on the tips was because...they had something to block it with.” And that meant that there was only one other thing the murderer could have used. 

When Rantaro had picked up that heavy book, he’d been surprised to find no blood on it. But there was something else--something he discovered much later--that did have bloodstains on it. Something that had...seemed out of place. Something...bizarre. _Something I wish I'd realized sooner_ … Rantaro added silently to himself.

Koemi seemed to understand what he was getting at. “You don’t mean...that weird teddy bear, do you?”

Rantaro nodded. “That’s exactly what I mean. At the time, it seemed completely irrelevant. But if you think about it being used as a shield, it also explains the spots of blood on the floor.” 

“The spots of blood...?” Ayumi inquired. 

“Yeah. Like Eri mentioned before, the crown case was also said to be protected by lasers. So if you think about it this way...the murderer gets injured by breaking the glass case, right? But the teddy bear soaked up most of the blood. Then, secondly, as the murderer gets away, they get injured by the “lasers” leaving the spots of blood behind.” Rantaro explained. The only problem with this is that the teddy bear wasn’t found in the Antique Shop, where the crown was. It was found in the _throne room_.

Hiroka nodded. “Yeah, that does make sense. But how did it end up in the throne room then, of all places?”

Rantaro put a hand under his chin. _The only explanation I can think of is that the killer left the teddy bear behind, and then came back for it. Plus, if they had done that, they could have easily committed their murder during that time. And then they hid the bear in the throne room, one of the places someone would be least likely to enter_. 

But there was only other thing that bothered him about the teddy bear, if that was the case. It was /em>patched up. It would have made sense if it was patched up to soak up the bloodstains. But it wasn’t. The killer didn’t even try to hide the bloodstains. So that means...the teddy bear must have been damaged in some way instead.

“The killer must have left it behind--before coming back to hide it the throne room.” Rantaro reasoned. _That must have been where they patched it up too. But... I don’t know if anyone here can sew. Except for... one person, that is.. But I won’t believe it, not yet_! 

“Hold up!” Ryuu cried.

_Hmm?_

“I have a problem with what you said! If the murderer did all of that, ...then when did they have the time to commit murder?” Ryuu demanded, his golfer’s cap slightly sliding down his face. He hastily adjusted it.

“There was only one time they could have.” Rantaro argued.

“But **there’s no time written anywhere**! They could have committed their murder earlier for all we know! And then they could have hid the body!” Ryuu reasoned. “Then they waited until later and put it in the main entrance hall for us to find afterward!”

_There’s a contraction hidden in what he said...I have evidence to prove it_! “No, I heard a contradiction in your words!” Rantaro disagreed. “There _is_ a time of death written somewhere. It’s in the Monokuma File. It said that Toshi’s time of death was 7:05 PM.”

“Oh...and here I thought I was onto somethin’...sorry for doubtin’ you. Guess all this complicated stuff went to my head.” Ryuu apologized.

“It’s fine.” Rantaro reassured.

“In any case…” Michi began, tapping her clipboard again with her pencil. “I think we’ve discussed everything at a tireless length. But the question is...who is the culprit?” Michi asked, her eyes shifting between person to person.

She had a point, though. They’d covered all the evidence, but there were still no obvious clues pointing to the culprit. They’ve hidden themselves well, Rantaro had to admit. He thought of all the evidence they’d gone through. The last few puzzles pieces fell into place... except for one. 

Even with all the evidence they’d been given, it wasn’t enough. Anyone could have still committed this murder. And...even if he had a feeling he already knew how this murder went down, it still didn’t tell him anything. So now...there was only one other way to solve this. By thinking of everyone’s actions _before_ Toshi was murdered. By thinking of what everyone had said…

Rantaro closed his eyes, letting his mind wander. He thought of one person at a time, repeatedly shaking his head when they didn't match. But...when he finally got to _that_ person, that one person, he had a feeling he knew. The words they’d said in the past echoed in his brain: 

“ _Anyhow, there’s no way for me to use my talent here...at least, not right now_.” 

“ _I was just mulling over what Monokuma said. So…this “game” ends when only two people are left remaining_?” 

“ _No please, don’t mind me. I must simply be overthinking things. Heh, I never expected it to get to me this bad_ …” 

“ _Well, this may be a little off topic, but...who do you think is behind this? This killing game, I mean_.” 

“ _Let’s continue this discussion at another time_.” 

“ _You’re all having so much fun, huh_.” 

“ _But I will say that Toshi was an interesting person. He reached out to others, that’s for sure. He did his best in the end_.”

Rantaro remembered what their eyes had looked like on that day. It was the day they played golf, just after Toshi got the golf ball in the last hole. Almost everyone had been happy and laughing after that--but there was one person who stood out to him. When Rantaro had turned to stare at their eyes, after they’d said how much fun everyone was having, they looked a bit...sad. 

And now that he thought about it, they seemed like the only person who really kept to themselves, and seemed to watch everything from the distance. Almost as if...a dark cloud had been cast over their world. And that cloud...shrouded their world in grays, and blacks, and whites...but never anything colorful and vibrant. 

Rantaro reopened his eyes, slowly turning to the only person who could have done it. _I wish I didn’t have to say this...but I do_.“Ayumi,” he began. “It was you...wasn’t it?”

Ayumi clutched the sides of her head. “No...I didn’t do it…” she denied.

“W-What?!” Hiikari exclaimed. “R-Rantaro, you’re not serious...are you?” Her mechanical eyes gazed into his eyes, refocusing, as if searching for the answer in them.

Rantaro balled his fists, and turned away, unable to meet Hiikari’s gaze. Kenji glanced up at him, and slowly nodded, not needing to say anything. For the most part, everyone else stood frozen in place, all of them staring at Ayumi trembling in place. Everyone seemed at a loss for words.

_I have to show everyone the truth_ … Rantaro thought, staring back at Ayumi. Her light blue coat was swinging all over the place, and her dark purplish blue hair was becoming slightly unkempt. _It’s the only way...and the only way to make Ayumi accept the truth too_. 

“I didn’t do it!” Ayumi yelled, breaking her usual calm demeanor. “It wasn’t me! I promise to be good! I promise I won’t cause trouble! I always...keep my promises!! I PROMISE!!! **N-Nothing could...make me break my promise to you, could it**?” 

“ **By feeling left out**.” Rantaro answered firmly. “You felt left out on that day... You didn’t like how Toshi was so happy, and had so many friends...and maybe you didn’t like your talent either...so that’s why you decided to kill Toshi, right?” he reasoned.

“A-Ayumi was...left out?” Hiikari cried. Her ahoge drooped. “Ohh, if only I’d realized sooner…”

“That day? You don’t mean that day we played that ridiculous golf game, do you?” Hiroka asked.

“I do.” Rantaro replied.

“I’m real sorry...I didn’t notice.” Ryuu apologized, bowing.

Ayumi shook her head. “N-No...it’s okay. It’s my fault, really. I should never have done it...his last moments where s-so...painful!” she clutched her shoulders, running her hands up and down them.

“So...are you admitting to it then?” Isamu asked, tilting his head.

Ayumi nodded. “I-It’s no use hiding it anymore anyway. You guys are all so...smart and cool...and you have so many friends...unlike me.” Ayumi jammed her eyes shut, refusing to meet anyone’s gazes.

_Ayumi...did you really just want someone to be your friend?_ Rantaro wondered. 

“When I was carrying out my murder plan...I met Toshi in the hallway. He saw that I’d been injured on the shoulder. He placed his hands on my shoulders and asked if I was okay. But I...slapped his hand away, and staggered over to the fountain. And in that moment, I knew what I had to do.” 

“When he came over, I...leapt at him without thinking, consumed with my feelings of jealousy. I brought out Isamu’s arrow...and stabbed him. But he didn’t die...thankfully. But I realized what I’d just done...and I regretted it instantly. I tried my best to stop the bleeding. I took off my coat, hoping maybe I could still save him. But he just looked at me with saddened eyes and said, “It’s okay. I know how unfair life can be. So...you’re not alone.” And then he collapsed onto the ground. By then, I knew it was too late, and so did he. Before he died...he smiled at me. And then...not knowing what else to do, I-I covered up my murder, and ran into the throne room, before I joined all you guys.” Ayumi explained.

_Toshi told her that...before he died?_ Rantaro thought, staring at the bracelets around his wrist. He understood how unfair life could be himself. It was life itself that had torn his sisters away from him, along with his own foolishness. But he had to wonder...what Toshi meant by those words. _What happened to Toshi in the past_?

“I think it’s time I went over the details of this case, once and for all.” Rantaro announced. _I never expected the culprit to be Ayumi, of all people_...

Ayumi nodded. “Please do…”

Rantaro raised his voice as he began. “Toshi’s murder had actually started the day before, when we were playing golf. Hiikari, at the time, due to her incredible strength, accidentally cracked the fountain a tiny bit when her golf ball hit it. That was also the day when Ayumi resolved to kill Toshi, after feeling left out. Afterward, she began her murder plan. Sometime after Michi had left her room that day, Ayumi snuck in and stole her floor layout. This would ensure that when she killed Toshi, he’d be killed just out of sight.”

“On the same day, Toshi and Reika made Hiikari’s bracelet together. However, at some point, the bracelet piece fell off, leaving it for Hiikari to find later. The following day, Ayumi really set her plan in motion. But at the same time, Toshi was doing stuff on his own, too. After the Monokuma Cubs performance, Ayumi discarded the floor layout near the fountain. 

“15 minutes later, Toshi met up with Hiikari, intending to give her the bracelet he’d made. However, Hiikari also tried to give back the bracelet piece Toshi lost. He took it from her, but he didn’t put it on the bracelet for some reason. Instead, he just gave Hiikari the bracelet, and headed off on his own.”

“A half an hour later after I’d talked to Kenji, at 12:00 PM sharp, Kenji and Toshi had an argument. Toshi argued with Kenji that if they didn’t do something soon, someone would be killed. During that time, I was writing in my diary...which unfortunately didn’t go well.”

“After that, Toshi went to do something with the key he had on him. Nothing else happened until 4:05 PM, when Eri first started gathering people for her lecture. When she tried to invite Toshi, he was in the throne room but he refused to come. Eri claims to have seen something in his hand--which was no doubt the key. Afterward, she spent half an hour gathering everyone else she could, myself being the last person to arrive.”

“Eri’s lecture took two hours. After the lecture, Ayumi headed into the library, and stole a heavy book from the open bookshelf--which had been opened by Michi after she stole the key from Toshi. This is also when she got her teddy bear from her room. Michi the day before, had opened up the bookcase, and promptly ripped out the floor layout from that heavy book. Having no more need for the key, she returned it to Toshi the next morning at breakfast without him noticing.”

“Going back to the present--Ayumi went back to the Antique Shop and knocked Isamu out with the heavy book. This is when she stole his arrow. Then she took her teddy bear, and her heavy book, and went to shatter the crown case. She tossed the book at the case, and covered her face with the bear with her other hand. The glass shards went flying, scratching her face and arms. Thankfully, her teddy bear soaked up most of the blood. She then stole the crown. But as she was leaving, the crown’s “laser” security activated, and wounded her in the arm. This left a few spots of blood behind.”

“Ayumi then met up with Toshi in the hallway, who was concerned about her injury in her arm. But she slapped his hands away, and staggered over to the fountain. Toshi, being who he was, wasn’t going to ignore her. So he came back over to where she was. But as he was doing so, Ayumi pulled out Isamu’s arrow, and stabbed him in the abdomen. Thankfully, it didn’t kill him--but he was bleeding badly as a result. Ayumi tried to stop the bleeding, but it was no use. After he told her she wasn’t alone, Toshi collapsed. Before he died he smiled at her.”

“After her murder, she proceeded to cover it up as best she could. Ayumi broke the fountain with the crown--leaving the giant depression in it. Perhaps by doing this she hoped to frame Hiikari. Either way, she used the stream of water it created to wash off the blood on her. Then Ayumi headed back into the Antique Shop, and placed the crown back in its place.” 

“She then took her blood stained teddy bear with her to patch it up in the throne room. The teddy bear had been damaged from the “lasers” and the glass shards. Once Ayumi had finished her sewing, the body discovery announcement played and she hurried to join everyone else, knowing that we’d all be too focused on Toshi’s dead body.” 

“And that is how she blended in with the rest of us, unknowingly.” Rantaro cupped a hand under his chin as he said, “So that’s why...the only person who could have committed this murder, was none other than Ayumi Inaba, the Super High School Level Meteorologist!” 

Ayumi’s lips curved upward in a smile. “I’m impressed, Rantaro. You got everything right. Except you forgot one thing--I was also unhappy with my talent.”

Rantaro scratched the back of his head. “Ah, sorry about that…”

But before they could say anymore, Monokuma interrupted them. Tilting his head he said, “Hmm? Have we all decided on the culprit? In that case, let’s begin voting!”

Rantaro watched as the small screen attached to his seat lit up. It showed everyone--including Toshi, who had a noticeable hot pink x going through him, and a faded out picture. This is it, Rantaro thought, lifting up his finger to touch the screen. _After this point, there’s no more going back. But I’m sure...plus, she did admit it, after all_ … Rantaro thought, as his finger touched Ayumi’s picture. The screen changed to a loading screen as it gathered everyone’s votes.

Once they were done, Monokuma raised his paw in the air and declared, “Let’s find out what you all decided!” 

A big screen lowered down from the ceiling, and booted up. There were a few seconds of hesitation as it gathered the votes. Then...a few seconds later 13 tally marks appeared under Ayumi’s name. _Now the verdict is next_ … Rantaro thought.

“Will the person you chose as the culprit be correct or incorrect?” Monokuma questioned, as a spinner beside them came to life. It spun around in circles a few times before finally stopping on Ayumi’s picture and displaying her name. Judging by the sound the spinner made, Rantaro guessed that they’d made the correct choice.

They all stepped out of their seats, except for Monokuma and his children. “Upupu! You guessed correctly!” Monokuma snickered, his paws over his mouth. “ _The culprit who killed Toshi Handa was none other than Ayumi Inaba, the Super High School Level Meteorologist_!” 

“Ahh...it’s finally over.” Ayumi sighed, clutching her right arm. 

_I wonder if that’s the arm that got injured_ …

“B-But...Ayumi...are you really okay with this?” Hiikari asked.

Ayumi narrowed her eyes. “I’m surprised...I figured you’d hate me, after all I’d done. Especially you, Kenji.” Ayumi added, nodding in his direction.

Hiikari clenched her fists. “You’re right, though. I can’t forgive you for killing Toto! He never wanted to hurt anyone! You should have thought it through more before you leapt at him!” Hiikari spat. Her metallic pink scarf lit up again--flashing on the sides.

Ayumi lowered her head, not saying anything back. Her body stiffened when she saw Kenji’s facial expression.

Kenji had remained silent for so long during the rest of this Class Trial. Now he finally met Ayumi’s eyes, gripping the mask over his mouth. “ _How dare you_ ,” Kenji hissed, venom dripping in his voice. “You don’t understand how important my kid brother was to me. He...He was the only person in my life that really understood me! What right do you have to say it was an “accident”?! You leapt at him, when my brother was trying to _help_ you!”

Rantaro had never seen this side of Hiikari and Kenji before. Kenji was breathing heavily, his fists balled, and fire burning in his eyes. Hiikari and had come to stand beside him, glaring at Ayumi. Rantaro gritted his teeth, remembering everything Toshi had ever done. He’d always looked out for others. He hadn’t deserved the fate he’d gotten. 

Ayumi stared at her hands, as if she could still see the blood on them. “I know I did...it’s something I’ll never forgive myself for, honestly.” she admitted.

_That sounds sort of like me, but not in the same context_ … Rantaro thought. He could never forgive himself for losing his twelve sisters on that day. His twelve sisters that he’d taken care of for years, who had taught him so much. And while he had reunited with three of his lost sisters, it hadn’t been under happy, peaceful conditions. But no, they had reunited in a Killing Game…

_I can only imagine how everyone’s feeling_ … Rantaro thought. Finding out that Ayumi had killed Toshi was quite an unexpected twist. But she’d always been the one person Rantaro saw alone, now that he thought about it. She never really interacted with anybody, and seemed to keep mostly to herself. Except...those few times. Those few times when she had spoken to him. _I wonder...if on that one day...what she really wanted to tell me...is if we could be friends_. 

Staring at Ayumi now, he could see how much her murder had taken it’s toll on her. Not only did she sometimes wobble from just standing in place, but she refused to meet everyone’s gazes. She instead chose to stare at the floor.

“That still doesn’t excuse your actions!” Kenji growled. “You can apologize for it all you want, but it will _never_ , _ever_ , bring Toshi back.”

“Why did you have to kill Toto?! Toto was also...the only person who told me I belong! He’s the one who told me I had a place in this world. That...I’m not just... _some mistake_ somebody made!” Hiikari chimed in.

“What do you have to say to that, huh?!” Hiroka demanded.

“Indeed. Your actions were completely selfish!” Koemi added.

“She should have waited to kill him until it was foggy out…” Reika complained.

“Forget about the damn fog! She killed Toshi, who was really damn important to Hiikari and Kenji! You think I’m gonna stand back and be okay with it?!” Isamu snarled.

“W-Why did this have to happen?!” Naoki cried. “We could have avoided this!”

“Exactly! Why’d you kill a fellow comrade of ours?!” Ryuu demanded.

“You should have never resorted to violence, just because you were jealous of him!” Minoru agreed, shaking his head.

Ayumi didn’t even raise a single objection. Instead, she just stood there, her eyes glazed. To Rantaro, it almost seemed like she was standing in a black void, with a spotlight hanging over her. As much Rantaro hated himself for being unable to prevent Toshi’s death, and Ayumi’s actions... there was something everyone here deserved to know. 

“Ayumi…” Rantaro began. Ayumi’s finger twitched to show she was listening. “Back there...when I accused you of being the culprit...you said some things...that weren’t like you.” _This is probably a horrible topic to bring up_ … Rantaro thought.

“Ah, I figured you would bring that up at some point. It’s all right...I’ve been preparing myself to tell this story for some time now,” Ayumi confessed. She glanced back up, meeting everyone’s eyes. She gripped her light blue coat draped over her shoulders more tightly, as if she was holding a weight on them. “For years, my parents were always away, busy with work.” Ayumi began. 

Everyone leaned forward, their faces a plethora of emotions. Kenji and Hiikari in particular stood, glaring, and their whole bodies' trembling as they listened. “My mother, however, taught me to always keep my promises, and to behave. And so...I did. Because my parents were always working, they never had time to get me to attend school.”

“Wait...but you’re a Super High School Level, aren’t you?” Isamu demanded, shoving his hands into the pockets of his black shirt. “Then aren’t you in damn high school?”

“I am.” Ayumi affirmed. “But I didn’t go to high school until recently, actually.”

“And why’s that?” Koemi asked, crossing her arms.

“For most of my life, I just lived with one of my relatives--my aunt. But all she did was give me all the basic necessities...like food, and a place to sleep. I never went out much, so I never had any friends, like most kids had. Whenever the neighbors would come over, they’d make fun of me, calling me a “depressed little girl.” And maybe I was.”

“So you were basically a shut-in for most of your life.” Michi noted.

“Michi! That’s inconsiderate!” Naoki objected, puffing out her cheeks.

Ayumi shook her head. “No, it’s fine...really. But I don’t deny it. Because I was a shut-in, there were a few small pleasures I found because of it.”

“That’s when I started weaving. My aunt let me use her old sewing materials, so I could make whatever I wanted. It kept me happy...for a while, anyway. But then my aunt gave it away to one of our neighbors. So then I looked to the weather to keep me company. Rain was always my favorite type of weather, since it seemed to represent me, and my life. To be honest, for many years of my life, I questioned what I was living for.”

“Is that how that teddy bear is patched up?” Hiroka asked.

“Yes. I managed to do it by myself. My weaving was something I taught myself how to do. Of course, it didn’t last for long. That’s why I gained an interest in weather, but...” Ayumi paused momentarily, before continuing her story.

“Until one day, because of my heightened ability to predict weather patterns faster than most people, I was recognized as a Super High School Level. I finally got to attend high school, but by then, everyone had already made friends.”

“The motive Monokuma gave us was to get a different talent. So I was wondering...did you want a different talent, then?” Minoru asked. 

Ayumi nodded. “I did. As much as I liked the weather and rain...it never really brought me happiness. Instead, it just seemed to make the situation I was in more real. So that’s why...being trapped in this castle reminded me of those times. And those thoughts and memories haunted me the entire time I’ve been here. And...being in high school never brought my happiness either--even after being recognized for my talent. My talent...was something I was never really proud of.”

“It didn’t matter if a new girl was added to the mix. So I just blended in with the crowd...until I finally ended up here, with everyone else.” Ayumi explained. “I killed Toshi because I was jealous. He had everything I’d always wanted in my life...and with that motive, my emotions got the best of me. But it doesn’t excuse my actions. I still killed him...and I hate myself for that.” 

_Ayumi...I’m sorry...I didn’t know you’d gone through so much too_ … It explained all her actions up to this point. If she’d spent most of her life indoors, it might explain why she was so on edge about being in this Killing Game. And she never tried to interact much...because she believed she couldn’t make friends anyway. Which was...really sad, when he thought about it. “Can I ask one more thing?” Rantaro inquired. Ayumi nodded, so he continued. “Where did that teddy bear of yours come from, then?”

“Ah, him? He was a memento from my mother. She gave him to me as a source of comfort...and a reminder to always keep my promises. So...that patched up teddy bear is a result of me trying to fix my broken promises…” Ayumi answered, finally lifting her gaze from the floor. 

_I wonder if one of those broken promises ties to this Killing Game... no...it does. I’m guessing she’s referring to when she killed Toshi_ … Rantaro realized. 

Rantaro suddenly noticed Kenji’s tightened grip on his mask. The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees. “He had everything _you_ wanted?! Koemi was right after all. You killed him out selfishness and jealousy. Ha, I bet you’re really proud of yourself, aren’t you? You managed to successfully commit a murder! I feel _so_ , so ever so happy for you. But there’s one thing you deserve to hear. There’s one thing you need to know. You need to know...what exactly you’ve _done_. You need to know...who you’ve _taken_ from me, and Hiikari. And you need to know how important he was to our lives, you idiot! So I’m going to tell you before you _die_!” Kenji snarled.

Ayumi clutched her arm, her eyes widened. But she still didn’t say anything, her jaw clenched. 

“Since we’re in the sharing mood, I figured it’s about time I told you my story as well,” Kenji growled, stepping forward. His blue and white striped tie flapped in the gentle stirred up breeze. “It has to do with my brother and I.” he announced, his eyes meeting everyone’s gaze.

_I never expected this, coming from Kenji, anyway_ …

“When I was seven years old, one of our parents died in a car crash. It was our father. So my mother was left with taking care of the two of us...but it was never the same. I’d been particularly close with my late father, so naturally I was really affected by his death. My younger brother, Toshi, noticed this. I started closing myself off to the rest of the family. My younger brother, however, was persistent.”

“So you were close with your late father…” Rantaro mused, crossing his arms. Kenji’s relationship with his father was completely different from his. His father often ran off with women, which is how Rantaro ended up with his twelve sisters. Because of that, his father was never really around much, and not really...the best. So he was glad that Kenji had been close to his father, since Rantaro had never known what a loving father felt like. 

But Rantaro knew what it was like to close yourself off from people, and not show them how he really felt. That’s how he developed instinctive coping methods, pretending to be okay...and laughing and smiling. _If he started closing himself off then, is it too late_? Rantaro wondered. _Has he become like me? If so...then when I told him it was okay to express himself_ … he shook his head, not continuing the thought.

“He began to read comedy books, anything he found funny, to try to get me to smile or laugh again. When we were a little older, I got bullied. One of the bullies cut part of my face with a knife, leaving a large scar behind. That’s when I began wearing this mask. When my mother found out, she went crazy, however.”

“That’s horrible!” Koemi cried. “How could someone do that?!”

Kenji shook his head. “It’s fine...I’m used to it. Everyone started avoiding me after that, is all,” he shrugged. “I guess they were scared of me.”

“No...it’s not right. Don’t you hate wearing that mask?” Koemi asked.

Kenji blinked. “Perhaps. I’ve gotten so used to wearing masks that it’s natural to me. No one would want to see what my ugly face looks like anyway.”

_No...that’s not true, Kenji_.

“I’m sorry...I shouldn’t have asked,” Koemi said, taking a few steps back. “Please continue.”

“Later, one evening, Toshi went into my room. I was just sitting on the floor at the time, so I was surprised when he placed his hand on mine. With a huge idiotic grin on his face, the moron said, _“No matter what happens, I’m here for you, Big Bro. And I’ll make sure nothing like that ever happens to you again, or anyone else. I’m gonna help everyone I can. That’s my dream!”_ ”

“Toto...said that?” Hiikari asked, her hands clasped together. The sides of her metallic scarf lit up again.

Kenji nodded. “He was like that even back then. Such a big moron.”

Hiikari put her hand over where her heart would be. “I-I’m so glad…” she stammered, and said nothing more.

“And lo and behold, that dream came true. My brother was recognized as a comedian, and was given the title of the Super High School Level. But the only reason he ever became a comedian in the first place...was because of me. He did all of that...for me. And I suppose you’re still questioning how he had a key on him, right? The idiot got the key from his cell, back when we first came here. It was a Monokuma Key--a key that can open any of the locks in this castle. That’s how he freed me from my prison cell. And he decided to wear around his neck, in case he needed it. And he did need it, the moron.”

“He did _all_ of that for you?” Sachiko repeated. “Wow, I didn’t know he was such a _considerate brother_.” she added. Rantaro knew that had been directed at him.

Reika tilted her head, “And...he had this...Monokuma Key?” 

“Yeah. Except, at the time, the moron didn’t even know he freed me. He just happened to open my cell--but I guess I blended in with the shadows too much. Next thing I knew, the idiot was saying, _“What’s a bear’s favorite type of video? A stream! Get it? Because the video and what the bear likes to eat…”_ ” Kenji sighed, “He always told the worst jokes. What a moron.”

“But that’s a summary of how we ended up here...in truth, I became a dentist because my father used to be one. And, my brother, being who he was, he constantly stuffed his face with homemade sugar cookies our mother made. He tried to get me to try some, to see if it would make me happy, since it was my late father’s recipe. But once again I refused. Not surprising, is it?” Kenji remarked, raising an eyebrow. 

_So that’s why they always brought up sugar cookies to each other_. Rantaro realized. He remembered all the times Kenji would complain about how much he hated sugar. _Maybe it never had to do with being a dentist all along...maybe it was because of his father_. But now that he thought about it, it seemed kind of sad, in its own way. 

He distinctly remembered the day Toshi had offered Kenji sugar cookies too. _Toshi...even then, you were trying your best to help your brother too, weren't you? I wonder...did you stay strong for your brother’s sake? So that...you could help him, and wouldn’t cause him any further pain? If so...then you and I were more similar than I thought_. 

Rantaro stared at Koemi, Naoki, and Sachiko. All three of sisters were still alive and here...while Toshi...wasn’t. Rantaro could only imagine what Kenji was going through right now. He wondered...what expression was really hidden under Kenji’s mask right now. Because, with that mask...Kenji was able to hide a part of himself. A part of himself he never let others see. 

_I wasn’t aware that Kenji went through horrible things either_ … I’m sorry that both him and Ayumi went through so much...and Toshi was always looking out for others, especially his brother, even then… But now that he’d heard both sides of their stories, it made him reconsider the context of everything they’d said and done up to this point. The hints had always been there...he’d just never connected those puzzle pieces. 

In a way, Toshi and Kenji were exact opposites. Toshi’s appearance was much more vibrant compared to his brother. Toshi’s hair had been a warm orange color, and he’d had unusual orange eyes. And personality-wise, he had been much more outgoing, and much more willing to open up to others. And he’d reached out to Hiikari, because he promised to help others, and he did exactly that. Maybe that’s why on that one day he cheered Hiikari up, and Kenji left, maybe he was trying to cheer up Kenji too, in his own way. Rantaro realized, remembering Toshi’s strange words at that time. 

And by comparison, his brother, Kenji, had a much more “duller” side to him. His hair was grayish brown, and his eyes were a light blue. And he wore a mask over his mask to hide his scar. His personality was much more reclusive, and he wasn’t really into sharing things...that is, until now, anyway. Because of this Class Trial...Kenji had finally started opening up a bit. _I want to help Kenji and Hiikari as best I can,_ Rantaro thought. _When this Class Trial is over...I’m going to look out for them...since I know Toshi would have wanted that_.

It was something interesting to note though, about the two brothers. And as for Ayumi, she turned out to be a completely different person than what they all had in mind. The person standing before them now was none other than Ayumi, the one who had also finally opened up to everyone. _These two probably wouldn’t have opened up to us if they didn’t trust us… in some way_. Rantaro realized.

“Aww, all this sappy and emotional stuff is getting so boringggg and drawn out!” Monokuma complained. “I think it’s time for… “Punishment Time!”” he announced, laughing. His children joined in. _He can’t mean...execution, right?_

“W-Wait, give us a little more time, please!” Hiikari begged, her pink metallic scarf lighting up on the sides again. 

“No way!! You’ve had plenty of time!” Monokuma disagreed.

Ayumi turned to all of them, her hand over her heart. “It’s been a pleasure to meet you all, really. Spending my days here was really interesting, for the most part. I’m sorry we couldn’t have met under better circumstances. And Hiikari, and Kenji...I’m sorry for everything. I’m sorry I killed Toshi. So...this is a fitting punishment for me. It’s what I deserve.” Ayumi said.

_There’s one thing I need to say first…!_ Rantaro thought. Instinctively, he darted forward, and clasped Ayumi’s hands. “Ayumi...on that day, what you meant to tell me back there, was that you wanted to be friends, right?” 

Ayumi’s eyes widened, but she didn’t say anything.

“I just wanted to let you know that...we’re already friends. And we’ll keep being friends. That’s a promise.” Rantaro said, a small smile spreading across his face.

Ayumi’s eyes teared up, a few tears streaking down her face. She smiled back at him. “Thank you, Rantaro, my good friend.” she said. And then, just like that, their hands unclasped. A giant metal collar clasped around Ayumi’s neck, and she was dragged away. They watched her execution unfold right before their eyes, unable to do anything. The metal collar was attached to a crane Monokuma was using. 

He spun it around really fast, as Ayumi was gritting her teeth. Suddenly the speed seemed to double, and created some sort of tornado. They watched Ayumi spin around and around inside that tornado, until it finally stopped. They watched Ayumi’s broken body fall to the ground in a splatter of blood. Unable to stare any longer, Rantaro slammed his eyes shut only to reopen them seconds later. He listened to the sound of Monokuma and his children’s sinister laughter.

“A-Ayumi didn’t deserve a d-death as...c-cruel as that!” Hiikari cried, covering her eyes. She was crouched down on floor, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. “N-Nobody deserved any of this!”

“T-That’s horrible…” Koemi stammered. She gripped her star necklace tightly, and turned away from the sight before their eyes.

Kenji clenched his jaw, and balled his fist. He had an unreadable expression in his eyes, yet Rantaro could see he was trembling a bit too.

“This isn’t real, right...?” Isamu demanded. He was staring at one of his hands, as if he could still imagine holding his arrow. His arrow, which had caused all of this. Isamu collapsed on the floor. “W-What the hell...is this…”

“N-No...I’m ‘fraid it’s very real.” Ryuu disagreed. Ryuu had shoved his golfer’s cap down his face so much that they couldn’t see his expression.

“I-I think I’m going to be sick…” Hiroka muttered, her hand over her mouth.

Eri shook her head several times, before fainting.

“N-No no no no no no…!! A-Ayumi isn’t dead...there’s no way...there’s no way she died so horribly!” Naoki cried, shielding her eyes from the view too. Tears were streaking down her face. Koemi came over and hugged her tightly, letting her twin sister cry as much as she needed to.

Reika was a mess too. Her hair was completely unkempt, and the corners of her eyes glistened.

Minoru had taken off his square glasses, in order for him to see the sight of Ayumi’s dead body less clearly. His hand was over his face, and tears were rolling down his cheeks too. 

Rantaro could only stand, paralyzed on the spot. As much as he wanted to cry, or scream, he couldn’t. His face remained completely stiff, except for the small smile that had spread across his face. _I don’t even know...what it’s like to express myself anymore,_ Rantaro thought. _I’m disgusted by my own self. To anyone staring at me...I look like I’m enjoying this...when I’m not. What’s wrong with me...?_ Rantaro thought, putting a hand over his mouth to cover his bizarre expression. All the memories of everyone telling him to give up finding his sisters came flooding back to him. _That’s when it all started...that’s when I forgot what it felt like...to express myself_. 

They had now not only lost one friend but two, all in one day. It was overwhelming, and it made him remember how painful it was the first day he felt the loss of his sisters. This Killing Game...it was brutal. There was no remorse for anything. And now that it had started...more deaths were sure to follow. More lives were sure to be lost. Rantaro’s eyes surveyed the survivors. Now...only thirteen of them remained. He balled his fist. _If only I had figured out a plan to stop this sooner_ … Rantaro thought. _Then this wouldn’t have happened. Ha, I’m really pathetic, aren’t I? I can’t seem do anything right...not even when it really matters_.

“Upupu!” Monokuma giggled. “Ahh, I haven’t had something that thrilling in a long time! I’m looking forward to the rest of this Killing Game!” And then, just like always, he vanished on the spot. His children were quick to follow, although Monodam stayed behind for a few minutes. And then he was gone too. But it had almost seemed like...he’d stared at Rantaro, Hiikari, and Kenji…

“I-I didn’t want this!” Reika cried, tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Me neither!” Naoki agreed, sniffing. Her eyes were noticeably red.

“T-This was a lot worse than I thought…” Hiroka remarked.

“Why...why did Ayumi have to die too?!” Hiikari demanded, her fists clenched. “S-She may have killed Toto...b-but...she didn’t deserve something so cruel!” 

Kenji’s shoulders stiffened. “Yeah, that moron was special in her own way too...although I’ll still never forgive her for what she did...and who she took from me.”

_She called me her friend too...I hope at least my words helped her, in the end_ … Rantaro thought staring up at the ceiling. 

“W-What are we going to do now?” Hiikari asked.

No one seemed to have an answer for that. Too many things had happened today. So instead, they left Hiikari’s question hanging, and boarded the elevator. Although, Hiikari and Kenji lingered for a few moments longer before joining them. When they arrived back in the throne room, everyone quickly exited. Soon, it was only Rantaro, Hiikari, and Kenji left. 

“There’s something I want to show you two.” Kenji grunted. He led them out of the throne room, and to the movie theater. As they passed by the fountain though, all they could think about was all the events that had transpired. All evidence of the murder had already disappeared. Everything looked like what it had been when they first arrived. And...even Toshi’s body was gone. 

When they entered the movie theater room, it seemed to have this deadened atmosphere to it. The room was silent, aside from the sounds of their footsteps walking down the carpet. They climbed up the stairs and onto the stage. By this point, Rantaro had guessed where Kenji was taking them. Earlier that day, right before Toshi’s murder, Rantaro had been in this room with Koemi and Michi. And when they moved the purple curtains...they found something _interesting_.

He watched as Kenji brushed aside the purple curtains obscuring the hidden door from sight. And then...he unfolded his hand, and revealed a key. It had the head of Monokuma, with part of its black yarn ripped off. _So Kenji took the Monokuma Key from Toshi_ … Rantaro thought. That meant that Kenji had stolen it long before they arrived to the scene of the crime. _So...even back then...he’d already seen his brother’s dead body… that had to have been horrible_ …

Kenji inserted the key inside the door’s keyhole. There was an audible _click!_ And Kenji swung the door open with ease. Inside a was a small storage looking room. It wasn’t that large, and mostly contained tons of metal shelves with cardboard boxes shoved onto them. But in the center of the room, there was something on the floor. Kenji bent down and picked up the note beside the _“something.”_

Kenji began reading it aloud: _“Dear Big Bro, I know you’ll find this room. The gifts I’ve left here came from my room’s bookcase, aside from Hiikari’s gift, which I made myself. For days now, I’ve tried to think of ways to do something about this Killing Game. But the thing is...I never came a to solution. So instead...I’m writing this to you now because being the “idiot” brother I am, I know you’ll like this. And Hiikari too. Please give her my best regards. Because what I’m about to do is going to be something really selfish...and something really stupid. But hopefully, I can come to an answer about what to do. And...I’m sorry for yelling at you. I just want to let you, and Hiikari know, that I love you both.”_

_“Thank you for always being here for me. You two are the best people I could have possibly known. P.S. Please take care of everyone from here on out for me. And please tell Leader that I’m sorry we never got to properly talk...but...that I think he’s a really cool guy, deep down. I think he’s got a lot going on himself. So tell him to take care of himself, all right? Thank you guys for everything, you’re the best.”_

Kenji glanced up from the note, and stared at the something Toshi had left for them on the ground. It was a comedy book, and a sea turtle plush. And actually, now that he looked more closely, there was something else there. It was a travel book, with some interesting stuff about history in it too. There were extra little notes written on each thing, such as To and From. On Rantaro’s however, Toshi wrote a little extra. He quickly glanced at it:

_Hey Leader, I’m really sorry I can’t give this to you in person...but hope that’s okay. I know how much you like traveling and historical stuff, so maybe this will keep you busy for a while. My mother gave it to me for my birthday once, haha. But anyways, I hope you enjoy it! And...look out for those two, for me, okay? And everyone else! I have confidence in you. I know one day you can end this Killing Game for good!! Because...you’re really awesome, and special. Don’t forget that, okay?_

A smile spread across Rantaro’s face. Even before Ayumi had killed him, he seemed to have already accepted that he was going to die one way or another. But what really touched him...were the things he left behind. He didn’t have to do this at all. And yet he did. And one of the gifts he’d left was for Rantaro, as if he’d anticipated they’d all come here together. _Toshi...thank you_.

Kenji was staring at his gift, kneeling on the floor. “You moron…” he said, his voice wavering.

“Toto...he called me Kari on his note. And...he left all three of us these gifts b-because…” she couldn’t finish the sentence. Because sides of her metallic scarf had lit up once more, and...she was... _crying_. It wasn’t exactly tears, however, but blue oil instead. 

When he glanced at Kenji, he noticed something glimmer on his cheek. _I should leave them alone_ … Rantaro thought, exiting the room. They didn’t even seem to notice. He briefly headed back up to his room. He put the book on the table beside his bed, and took out his diary. The last words he wrote before he closed was: Today...I lost two very important friends. 

And then he headed back downstairs and out the door behind the round table. Emerging back onto the familiar marble balcony, he rested his shoulders on the wall. From here, he could see everything. The ocean waves lapping, and the hill surrounded by trees. On the hill, the flowers in the flower field seemed to glow in the light of the full moon. 

He wasn’t sure how long he spent out there before it started raining. Rantaro watched the raindrops fall onto the marble wall, and splash into the ocean in the distance. It almost seemed like the rain came from Ayumi herself. He wished he’d gotten a chance to understand her more. But at the very least...he was glad to have made her happy, in the end.

He closed his eyes, letting his hair and clothes get soaked. He didn’t care. Because tonight was a very different night from all the rest. Tonight...they’d lost two very important friends: Ayumi Inaba, the Super High School Level Weaver, and Toshi Handa, the Super High School Level Generosity. _And...I’m going to miss them both...forever. But I’ll fulfill my promise to you, Toshi. I’m going to look out for Kenji, and Hiikari and everyone else. Because...that’s my responsibility...as the leader. So...thank you both, for everything too._


	10. Chapter 2 - Dark Secrets and Bonds - Part 1, Ordinary Days -

Here, the darkness seemed to swallow him whole. Drifting along, there was a light he couldn’t reach. When he extended his hand, the light vanished, as if it had never been there to begin with. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been standing here. Here, in this empty room, in the shadows of the night. But that’s okay--he didn’t really care anyways. Staring at the empty bed, it almost looked like someone could still sleep in it. Kenji turned away from the sight. He’d gotten in here with the Monokuma Key he’d taken from his brother. 

He approached an empty desk. Wiping the layers of the dust off, he sighed heavily. This room had turned out to be a lot duller than he thought it would be. He wasn’t sure what he expected to find in here, really. Even his brother had kept secrets from him. When he read his note earlier that evening, he’d known Toshi had gone off and done something stupid. That was who he’d been, after all. 

Kenji walked over to the window beside Toshi’s bed. Opening it up, he let the cold night air enter the room. The gentle breeze brushed the hair against his face. Leaning his arms on the window sill, he stared out into the ocean beyond. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew they were trapped here for good. Even if they tried to escape, it seemed useless. _It’s pointless anyway_ … Kenji thought, his blue and white stripped tie flapping from the gentle breeze too. 

He remembered the first day he and Toshi had attended high school. Back then, it seemed like nothing would change. But now...things were different. His world had dulled. He’d lost the color in his world, just as Ayumi had lost hers. Ayumi. The one responsible for taking his brother away. He gripped his tie, and gritted his teeth. If it hadn’t been for _her_ , _none_ of this would have happened. Toshi would still be here, laughing and smiling as always. Right now, he’d tell him a bad joke or something wistful to cheer him up. 

He’d probably say something stupid like, _“Do you know why there’s wind?”_ and Kenji would shrug and say, _“I don’t know. Enlighten me, dear brother.”_ and Toshi would answer, _“Because that’s the world--breathing and living.”_ And Kenji would reply back and say, _“That doesn’t even make sense, you moron. I thought you were going to tell me another one of your bad jokes.”_ and the last thing Toshi would say is, _“Nah, not this time. I can't think of one, surprisingly. Stupid, isn't it? What kind of comedian can't make jokes? But...I will say one thing. No matter what happens, I’m here for you, Big Bro. If you ever need me...I’ll always be by your side. That’s a promise.”_

That’s when Kenji spotted something in the corner of his eyes. Something he’d completely overlooked. Laying on the supposedly empty desk, was a box of sugar cookies. Half of the cookies were eaten, but there was a note on it that said: _Share this with Big Bro and Kari later!!!_ Instinctively, Kenji reached into the box, and took out a sugar cookie. After staring at it for a few moments, he lowered his mask and took a bite out of it. 

As he swallowed, he turned back and faced the window. The moon was beaming down, lighting the surface of the ocean. Everything was eerily quiet, yet...peaceful. “It’s _stale_ , you moron,” Kenji remarked, staring up at the full moon. “But it’s still good.” he added, as the tears that had been threatening to overflow finally rolled down his face. And for a long time...he stood there, unmoving, as the sun slowly began to rise.

. . .

“Good bearning!” familiar voices cried. “It is now 8 AM!” they announced, before the monitor to Rantaro’s room flicked off. _So...everything’s going back to normal_. Rantaro noted. The sun was creeping up behind the top of the hill. He climbed out of bed, staggering a bit as he did so. He hadn’t gotten very good sleep last night, not after everything that happened. 

It was still hard to take in that Toshi and Ayumi were gone. As much as Monokuma and the Monokuma Cubs tried, nothing would ever be the same. _This Killing Game’s finally begun_... Rantaro thought, heading over to his window. Glancing up at the sky, he could see a fading rainbow. Gritting his teeth, he turned away, and grabbed his Monopad. He headed out the door, and down the black spiral staircase. 

He stepped back into the familiar dining hall. The round table looked the same as it had always been, and the candles still burned brightly on the brick walls. The kitchen, to the far right, beside the door to the balcony, was abuzz with activity as usual. _Nothing else has changed_ … Rantaro thought, going to retrieve his daily breakfast. 

The kitchen hadn’t changed either. The cabinets were still clustered with all sorts of fancy dishes and plates, and the sink was still full. All of their food was sitting on the only table in the tiny room, waiting to be eaten. Taking his plate of food back to the Dining Hall, he began eating it. It had turned out to be pancakes. _Again_. 

It was a while before everyone else arrived and joined him. They all ate in silence. Nobody seemed to really be in the mood to talk. After all, how could they? They’d just lost two special friends last night, two friends that they’d never get back. Rantaro noticed Hiikari staring at the empty seats. _I hope she’s okay_ … Rantaro thought. She and Kenji are probably taking this a lot harder than the rest of us here. _And it’s not like I know how to exactly cheer them up either_ … 

The awkward silence was finally broken a few minutes later when Minoru spoke up. “Where is Kenji? I haven’t seen him since last night.”

_He hasn’t seen him? I wonder if Kenji spent all night in that secret room then_ … After all, he didn’t know what Hiikari and Kenji had done after he’d left them last night. 

Hiikari tapped her index fingers together. “Um...actually, I might know where he is,” lowering her voice, she continued, “He’s probably in...T-Toto’s old room…”

_Of course...Kenji had the Monokuma Key that could open any locks in this castle, after all. I should have guessed he’d go there...I just hope he’s taking care of himself_ …

Rantaro could still clearly picture the expressions Kenji had made last night. And...most of all, when they’d stumbled upon Toshi’s gifts in the secret room behind the stage curtains. Rantaro folded his hands together, not wanting to finish the rest of his breakfast. Too much was on his mind for him to focus on eating right now. Although no one wanted to admit it, the events of last night had affected them all deeply. _I only wish there was something I could do_ … Rantaro thought, staring at Hiikari. _I want to help you, and Kenji. But I don’t know how_ …

He tried going through how he’d comforted his sisters during rough times. He’d probably say soothing words, or rustle their hair and reassure them, or just hug them. _But is that enough?_ Rantaro wondered. _Can that truly help them_?

The sides of Hiikari’s metallic pink scarf began to glow. Her mechanical eyes had once again flown to the metal bracelet around her wrist. Her shoulders sagged and the her ahoge drooped. _I wonder why Toshi never put that bracelet piece back on… I don’t understand why he wouldn’t. That doesn’t sound like him at all...But, at least she has something to remember him by. I don’t...really have that for my lost sisters_.

Suddenly, they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. They watched as Kenji stepped off the last stair, and stared at them blankly. Kenji’s eyes had noticeable dark circles underneath them. Strands of his grayish brown hair were sticking out at all angles. His black school uniform and his blue and white striped tie almost seemed to reflect what Kenji was going through. His attire made it look like he was about to attend a funeral. _Kenji’s here? I didn’t expect he’d be awake so soon_...

Hiikari suddenly glanced up, and ran over to Kenji. She grabbed his hands, and gave him her familiar small smile. “K-Kenji…” she stammered. Kenji merely blinked in response, so she continued. “I...want to help you from now on, on Toto’s behalf.”

Kenji shook his head. “You don’t have to do that,” he muttered. “You...don’t have to push yourself, Hiikari.” He gently removed their interlocked hands.

Hiikari clenched her fists. “N-No...I want to!” she disagreed, her metallic scarf flashing. “I-It’s...what Toto would have wanted. And...it’s what I want, too.” Hiikari said, staring at the brick floor. Her spiky light pink hair flew over her face as she did so.

That stirred some sort of reaction out of Kenji. “You...really mean that?” he asked softly.

Hiikari nodded. “I do...I...want to be helpful to someone. I want to help carry on Toto’s will…I’ve...thought about this for a long time.”

_Hiikari...I didn’t realize. You knew what to say to help Kenji, didn’t you_?

Kenji placed his hand on Hiikari’s metal bracelet. Something gleamed in Kenji’s deadened eyes. “Then...I accept your offer.”

Hiikari glanced back up at him. “I-I’m glad…” And then, she slowly reached out her hands, and embraced Kenji. A few moments later, Kenji slowly hugged her back. “Toto taught me...that when you want to comfort someone, the best way is to hug them. Rantaro...taught me that too.” Hiikari added.

_I did?_ Rantaro thought back to the investigation, to when he and Hiikari had hugged. Back then, it was something he’d just done automatically. But now, here she was, hugging Kenji. She’d hugged someone on her own, for the first time. _She’s learning, little by little_. 

“Did he?” Kenji asked. “I knew that brother of mine wasn’t a complete idiot.” They slowly pulled out of their hug. But as they were doing so, Kenji’s eyes flicked to Isamu’s hand. 

Rantaro glanced over to see what he was looking at too. That’s when he saw... _something,_ that wasn’t quite right.

“I thought you kept that arrow of yours.” Kenji stated.

Isamu shook his head. “I didn’t want it anymore, so I threw it away. I didn’t want to keep carrying around an arrow that had so easily taken someone’s life.” he shoved his hands into the pockets of his black shirt. 

_Wasn’t it special to him, though? I didn’t expect him to throw it away so easily_...

Kenji closed his eyes, and snorted. “If you insist.”

But before anyone could say anything else, familiar voices came out of nowhere. “Beartings!” The Monokuma Cubs cried, their play on the word “greetings.”

“What the hell do you want?!” Isamu demanded, whirling around to face them. “Can’t you bears have a touch of damn sympathy?” 

This was the second time Isamu had said something like this. He’d said something similar back in the Class Trial too: _“She killed Toshi, who was really damn important to Hiikari and Kenji! You think I’m gonna stand back and be okay with it?!”_

_It’s like I thought...there’s more to Isamu than meets the eye. And yet...he almost feels...a bit softer than before_.

“How rude!” Monofunny growled, leaning forward. “We have names, you know!”

“Eh, let it slide, Monofunny.” Monosuke shrugged, adjusting his glasses. 

“So why are you here?” Rantaro asked, crossing his arms.

_Did Monokuma send them on his behalf?_ he mused. This was the last thing they needed right now. Monokuma or his children wouldn’t even let them have time to grieve. _They want to keep this Killing Game moving along, so that we can feel even more despair_...

“Ah! He got straight to the point!” Monotaro cried. Putting a paw on his scarf he replied, “We came here to give you this...key!” he pulled out an ordinary golden key.

“Why would we need something as silly as that? We have the Monokuma Key, if I’m not mistaken.” Michi pointed out, adjusting her glasses.

“Actually...I lost it.” Kenji admitted. “Well, maybe “lost it” isn’t the right word. More like it... _disappeared_. I guess I shouldn’t have left it in the keyhole to my brother’s room…”

“You _what_?” Michi said, her lab coat swishing. She was gripping her clipboard in her hand rather tightly. “That key was extremely valuable. We could have used it to navigate through this whole castle! How disappointing.” Michi scoffed, flicking her dark red hair. Her ponytail came a bit undone and she hastily fixed it.

“Hey, leave Kenji alone,” Rantaro growled, stepping forward. “He’s already having a hard time as it is.”

Kenji made some unknown expression in the corner of his eye. At least he’d done something right. More than anything, Kenji needed all the support he could get right now. He didn’t need someone rubbing any more salt in the wound. And plus, he was exhausted. Rantaro could see the way he rocked a bit as he stood. Even after everything he’d gone through, he was still fighting hard to stay awake. _He’s needs rest_ … Rantaro thought. _After this, I’m going to make sure he sleeps_. 

“W-Well, either way, you can now go to the second floor with this key!” Monotaro continued. “The way to the second floor is through the door past the movie theater. Have fun!”

After Rantaro took the key from Monotaro, the Monokuma Cubs cried, “Bearbye!” and were gone in a flash.

“So...I guess we have a new area to explore then,” Kenji muttered. “Let’s just get this over with.” He brushed past them, and started heading towards the door. 

Everyone else was quick to follow. As they walked down the familiar red carpet in the hallway, they glanced at all the rooms. These rooms, which had all been used for a murder. These rooms, which all had been used...to kill a classmate. As they entered the main entrance hall again, Rantaro could still vividly picture Toshi’s dead body. Lying in that pool of blood, next to the broken fountain that had a Monokuma statue on it...Rantaro shook his head, removing his eyes from the sight. 

When they rounded the corner, and emerged into the empty area past the movie theater, they found two doors. Rantaro tried both doors. He had no luck with the right door, so that only left the door to the north. As he inserted the key in it, there was an audible _click!_ and the door swung open. Beyond the door was a staircase, spiraling upward. They ascended the stairs until they emerged into another open area. 

Up here, the walls and floors were completely white. There were large windows, which showed the outside and the grand forest beyond. The only hallway was to the left, and there were only two doors here. 

“I guess it’s time we took a look around.” Rantaro said. He watched as everyone went their separate ways, except for two people. Reika and Naoki had stayed behind. “Did you two want to come with me?” he asked.

“Yes, I had lots of fun exploring with you last time, Rantaro. So I wanted to do it again.” Reika answered, nodding.

“I mean, if I can spend some time with Big Bro, then that works for me!” Naoki replied, a grin spreading across her face. “Besides, I don’t really think Koemi wants to talk.” 

“Well, all right, then. Let’s go.” Rantaro said. They entered the door to the right. Inside was a grand gallery, so big it felt like it could fit a hundred people in it. The entire room was golden, and directly in front of them was a painting with a Monokuma head pasted on it. _I should have figured as much,_ Rantaro thought, suppressing a sigh. 

That bear had the worst idea of decor. However, despite its tackiness, the room still reminded Rantaro of his expeditions. There’d been so many wonderful sights that he’d seen, so many places he’d been. _Koemi would have loved those sights_ … Rantaro thought.

“Woah, woulda look at that!” Naoki exclaimed, indicating to the painting Rantaro was standing directly under. It depicted a waterfall in autumn.

“It’s _okay_ ,” Reika commented, resting her head on her hand. Locks of her blonde hair brushed against her hand. “It’s kind of boring though.” 

“Boring?!” Naoki said, taken aback. “Do you think _everything_ is boring?” Naoki sighed. “Well, either way...I haven’t seen something like this in a while.”

“What do you mean?” Rantaro asked.

Naoki put her hand on the wall, underneath the painting. “Koemi used to take me out to the waterfall near our house sometimes. I loved the sight, especially in autumn. It...I dunno, looked cool with all the leaves I guess.”

_Hmm...Koemi always did like nature_. Rantaro mused. He remembered her being head over heels when she discovered a new sight or flower. She’d been particularly fond of water flowers too, such as lotuses. He remembered that book of hers filling up by the day. Not just with flowers, but with any sight she found pretty. Koemi told him she’d show him what she’d seen sometime. Except...that never happened, because of the day Rantaro lost Hanako. And all the journeys he’d gone on...the journeys where he’d lost all his other sisters too. _And the journeys Sachiko still resents me for_ …

“Heyyy!! Earth to Rantaro!!” Naoki said, waving her hand in front of his face.

Rantaro blinked rapidly several times. “Ah, sorry…” he apologized.

Naoki puffed out her cheeks. “You had me worried! You spaced out mysteriously!” 

Rantaro scratched the back of his head. “Did I?”

“Uh-huh! Ugh, if you’re going to space out, then let’s go somewhere else!” Before he could say anything more, Naoki opened the door and let it slam behind her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Reika asked.

“Beats me.” he replied, shrugging. 

They exited the gallery, and headed over to the unusually large door. It went halfway up to the ceiling. For some reason, the doors swung open before they even reached them. As they stepped inside, they found something unexpected. Huge mounds of gold and treasure were piled up in the back of the room. No...it wasn’t a room at all. It was a _cave_. More specifically, a _dragon’s cave_. 

And lying in the middle of that treasure...was a dragon itself. Its tail was coiled over its feet, and it raised its gray head to stare at them. Orange-yellow eyes seemed to pierce right through them. Suddenly, it let out a puff of smoke and rose to its feet. Letting out a fierce roar, the Exisal dragon towered over the three of them. Compared to them, the Exisal dragon was twice their size, and could easily crush them if it wanted to. 

“W-Why is...t-this...Exisal here?!” Naoki cried, her legs buckling underneath her.

The dragon laughed. “Ah, it’s been a while!” It lowered its head, so that it was gazing directly at Naoki. “I didn’t expect you to find my lair,” the Exisal unfurled its mechanical wings, gesturing to the piles of treasure around it. “Fancy, isn’t it?”

“I-It is in no way fancy!” Reika cried, taking several steps backward.

This reminded Rantaro of when he’d first seen the Exisal. Back then, he’d managed to strike up a conversation with it, when no one else could. But now...his voice was silent. He stood, frozen in place just like everyone else. Rantaro watched as the enormous beast took a few steps forward. Tons of coins flew everywhere, and a necklace landed a few inches away from Rantaro’s foot. The sounds of the Exisal’s footsteps ricocheted throughout the entire cave, like an earthquake.

“Leave here at once,” the dragon spat, baring its fangs. “If you don’t want to burned alive, that is.”

_Remember the dangers you faced during your travels,_ a voice whispered inside his head. _Remember...how you survived_.

“Ah, sure. We’ll leave! We must have entered the wrong door, terribly sorry!” Rantaro apologized, holding up his hands.

“B-Big Bro, are you crazy?!” Naoki cried.

The dragon lurched back, lashing its tail. “You’re making petty excuses, human.” 

Shrugging, Rantaro continued regardless. “But you _can’t_ burn us alive. It would go against the castle’s regulation, you know. What would Monokuma say if his children unintentionally caused a murder?” Rantaro asked, wagging his finger. “If I were you, I wouldn’t even try it.”

Rantaro was rewarded when the Exisal yanked its head back, and folded its wings. “Very well,” the Exisal decreed. “I’ll let you go. Just this once. But let me warn you. Come in here again without permission, and _I’ll burn you alive_!” the dragon threatened, brushing off Rantaro’s words from earlier.

Rantaro nodded, and they quickly ran out before the Exisal changed its mind. But just as Rantaro was running to the door, the dragon called after him. 

“Rantaro.” it hissed. 

Rantaro halted, not turning around to stare back at the dragon. _What do you want_? he thought.

“You may try to hide it, but I can tell. You have a reason for not being scared in the face of danger. But let me warn you...sooner or later, those friends of yours are gonna find out.” The dragon broke out into a fit of laughter.

Rantaro balled his fist. _What do you know_? Before he ran to join Reika and Naoki. As the doors were closing, Rantaro saw who’d been controlling the Exisal. It had been Monokid, Monosuke, and...Monodam. And then, the doors slammed shut.

“Rantaro...what happened back there?” Reika asked.

Rantaro smiled. “Ah, you must be imagining things. Let’s continue.” But in the corner of his eye, he saw Naoki and Reika exchange a glance. _They were probably right, though_. He thought, striding down the hallway. _Forgetting how to express my emotions isn’t the only thing that’s wrong with me. To most people here, I probably have the form of a monster...a monster who has forgotten how to be human. Heh, actually...I could be deemed a dragon at heart. A dragon just like the Exisal_...

When they were halfway through the hallway, they stumbled upon another door. Sliding it open, they stepped over the threshold. There were games scattered through the mosaic room. They consisted of playing cards, a pool table, and some sort of board game. In one corner of the room, there was a huge vase, next to a dresser.

_This entire second floor is starting to seem like it’s just dedicated to my sisters_ … he glanced back at where Naoki was standing. This room dug up more memories of the past. Naoki almost appeared to transform back into a little girl before his eyes. The entire game room faded out behind them, leaving them in a living room. He and Naoki were sitting in the middle of the floor, playing a game of cards. It almost seemed like time had rewound itself. Except this time Rantaro was an observer, watching the memory unravel before his very eyes.

“It’s your turn next!” Naoki giggled, sticking her tongue out.

“Hmm…” Rantaro mused, shuffling through a deck of cards. “Do you have any nines?”

Naoki shook her head. “Nope!! Now it’s my turn!”

Rantaro’s lips curved upward in a smile. As much as he desired to preserve this moment forever, he couldn’t. This wasn’t their reality they were living through right now. Suddenly, the whole memory shattered, like glass. Rantaro found himself back in the game room.

“Aww, and here I thought there’d be ping pong.” Naoki complained, her shoulders slumping.

“Oh, it’s not so bad,” Reika said, putting a hand on Naoki’s shoulder. “This room looks kind of fun, at least.”

“Ehh, I guess so…” Naoki agreed.

_This room almost resembles chess itself, considering the mosaic colors. This is a game room, after all. Knowing Monokuma, he’d come up with a “brilliant” joke like this_. Meandering over to the cards, he picked one up. It had turned out to be a king of hearts. _Ugh, how ironic. The timing seems almost _too_ perfect_.

Reika peered over his shoulder to see what he was looking at. “A king! I haven’t seen one of those in a while…” she mused. “Maybe the card thinks _you’re_ a king? After all, doesn’t every castle need a king or a queen?”

For a moment, Rantaro envisioned himself sitting on a throne, with a cape draped over his shoulders. Then he shook his head, as if to clear the image from his mind. He wasn’t that glorious or noble to deserve the title of “king” to begin with. Minoru seemed more royal than he’d ever be. _Although I _do_ come from a rich family...does that count for something?_

“Reika! Reika! Check this out!” Naoki exclaimed, grabbing a card. She flung it, so that it whacked the vase at an angle. The vase rocked violently from side to side, and Rantaro had to dart over to prevent it from falling and breaking.

“Naoki, please be more careful.” he reprimanded, rising to his feet.

Naoki sighed. “Sorry, Big Bro. I guess I got carried away. I haven’t seen something like this in a long time.” She neatened the deck of cards on the table, and stared at the pool game blankly.

He remembered when Naoki was younger she always begged him to play games with her. Rantaro agreed, and they did things like play board games or card games. Somehow, she always managed to beat him, no matter what he tried to do. The two of them would end up laughing and Rantaro would say, “Welp, it looks like I lost again!”

And Naoki would ask to play another round, so they did. But now that he thought about it… he remembered another sister, another sister who watched them play from the shadows. Every time Rantaro turned around to see who it was, they were gone in a flash. But now...he had a sinking feeling he knew. The young girl who’d stand there...with her long green hair...Rantaro gritted his teeth. _It seems...I’m a worse brother than I thought. I’m so sorry... _Sachiko_._

“Hey, can I ask you something?” Reika inquired, dragging Rantaro back to reality.

Naoki nodded. “Sure, but I dunno what you’d want to ask, really.”

“Well, I was just plainly thinking...doesn’t being twins with Koemi bother you?”

Naoki rolled her eyes. “Ohh, _that_ question.” she crossed her arms. “Lots of people have asked me that before. But I don’t blame them. But...yeah, it kind of does. I mean...I want to be different. I don’t like being credited with something someone else did, or get told how amazing I am. ‘Cause I’m not amazing. My big sis is. She’s always so calm and composed, and seems to do everything right. Me? I’ve just been some loser in her way.”

_Naoki...that’s not true at all. You’ve never been in anyone’s way_. Rantaro thought.

“I’ve never known what it’s like to have a twin sister,” Reika was saying, “But...you don’t know what she thinks. So... she may not think that at all!”

Naoki smirked. “Yeah, that’s true. Thanks, Reika. Although I don’t know how much it helped…” she started heading towards the door. But before she exited, she added, “But hey, you’re pretty cool yourself, Reika. I should talk to you more often.” and then she left before Reika could say anything in response.

Rantaro came to stand beside Reika. “Hey, thanks for also saying that to my sister back there. It probably...came out better than what I would have said.”

Reika smiled, gripping one of the buttons on her red peacoat. “You’re welcome.” she replied.

And then the twosome exited, leaving the game room behind them. They proceeded down the rest of the hallway and watched as it opened up into another small area. There were two more doors to the north of them. When Rantaro tried the one in the far upper right corner, it refused to open. _Hmm...I wonder if this leads to the next floor. In which case, the Monokuma Cubs would need to give us another key_ …

Fortunately, the door beside them opened. Inside the room, light filtered in from the windows. To the left of them, there was a large table. It had blueprints spread out on it, and a flask with an unknown substance in it. 

Going all around the room was a long counter, with a few sinks in it. Above the counter was a row of cabinets, filled with all sorts of equipment. One of the cabinets contained an entire set of safety goggles. And beside that cabinet was a rack with a bunch of lab coats and gloves on it.

“I’ve discovered a lab!” Naoki yelled, punching a fist into the air. She darted over and stared intently at the blue prints on the table. “Guys! You gotta see this!”

Rantaro and Reika crowded around the table, trying to see what Naoki was so ecstatic about. The blueprints on the table were messily drawn. The blueprints showed the current floor layout, along with depicting various parts to create Monokuma. Or rather, a large Monokuma head. 

_What is this?_ Rantaro wondered, cupping a hand under his chin. _There’s a second floor layout? And an odd design for Monokuma? It would make more sense if it was Monokuma’s entire body...but it’s just his head_. 

“Why is something like that here?” Reika asked. For some reason, it seemed like her voice wavered a bit as she said that.

“I dunno. Is it some scrapped idea for making Monokuma? Maybe they originally wanted to just make him a large, talking head.” Naoki reasoned. “Actually, now that I think about it, that would have been better.”

Rantaro shook his head. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s the case. And I thought there was only one floor layout. But if there’s a second one...then that means there might be more for every floor.”

_If so, then just how many floors _are_ there in this castle?_

“But Monokuma wouldn’t leave out something as important as this!” Naoki disagreed, gesturing to the blueprints on the table. “Like I said, maybe these were scrapped ideas. Except, with the floor layout, they decided to keep it and make this the second floor.”

That was plausible. There was no telling how old these blueprints were just by looking at them. More importantly, whoever drew them looked like they were in a rush. All of their handwriting was nearly illegible, and most of the drawings didn’t make sense to begin with. 

_Maybe Michi would know more about this kind of stuff_. Rantaro thought. Michi had been one of the first people to realize this castle was more fantasy-like than real life. Aside from him, Michi had been quick to realize this castle resembled more of a video game styled castle, rather than a traditional real life castle. And, she also had the floor layout for the first floor and the basement before. _I’ll have to remember this is here later_.

“Well, for now...I think it’s best if we moved on,” Reika suggested, as if reading his mind. “We can always come back here later if we need to.”

“Good point.” Naoki agreed, and was out the door in a flash.

Rantaro scratched the back of his head. _Well, at least she’s enjoying exploring_.

As they left the weird lab room behind them, there was only one other place to go. The hallway continued going left, except...it was completely pitch black. _Hmm...I wonder if the candles went out there. In which case, Monokuma is doing a horrible job of running this castle_. Rantaro mused, before pressing onward regardless. 

He wasn’t afraid of the darkness. And plus, he could see a light at the end of the hallway. Naoki came over and grabbed his hand as they entered, the blackness swallowing them whole. Rantaro could only hear the sound of their footsteps and their breathing.

_This reminds me of _that_ day_ … Rantaro thought. He remembered heading into a dark forest, thinking it was some kind of adventure. He made sure to leave a trail behind so he could find his way back. But the deeper he went, the harder it was to keep track of where he’d been. Rantaro clearly remembered watching as the sky grew cloudier the further he went in. 

And then, once he’d explored enough, he’d turned back, only to realize he’d lost his youngest sister, Hanako. _We should have all stayed together, just like this_. Rantaro gripped Naoki’s hand more tightly. _Then we would have never been separated...and then I wouldn’t have been so foolish, either_ …

He could virtually see the light getting closer now. They walked a little further...and then they came to a door right in front of them. Rantaro pushed it open, and found himself back to the world of light. The room stuck out of the castle, and the walls were made entirely of glass. There were rows of plants all over the place, and the smell of flowers wafted through the room. It almost seemed like a greenhouse of some sorts. _Koemi would love this place… I wonder if she’s been here already_.

“Oh my,” Reika said, bending down to stare at a tall plant. “You must be Charley.”

“What?” Rantaro asked, raising an eyebrow.

Reika turned to look at him, clasping her hands together. “Charley is a very special plant! I heard a nice girl used to take care of him.”

“As usual, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Rantaro said, putting his hands on his hips and letting out a sigh. 

Naoki was examining a pot of roses. She picked it up, and brought it over to Rantaro. “Do you think Monokuma would let us take some of these flowers with us?” she asked.

Rantaro stared down at the roses. _They’re looking at me funny_. He added silently to himself. He remembered Koemi’s lectures she’d throw at him from time to time. At some point, he’d half guessed they were to test him, to see if he’d been paying attention to her interests. And he had, of course. Rantaro had gotten them right, for the most part. 

But Koemi’s favorite ending assertion would always be, _“Even though they’re plants...they’re still living things. That’s why you have to be wary of them, and take care of them. The one thing I hate the most is when people mercilessly rip flowers and plants off their stems. A plant can’t survive without its roots.”_

_“Remember that, Rantaro. Every living thing is important and special in its own way, even if it doesn’t seem like it. Don’t be so quick as to end its life. Think about what’s better for both you, and the plant. You can still admire the plant without uprooting it, and the plant can still live and grow. Life is important to all things, just as it is to us.”_

_Now that I think about it, that statement was deeper than I thought_. Rantaro realized, blinking back at the roses. “Well, I’m not sure,” Rantaro replied, crossing his arms. “I think these plants are here for a reason. Koemi would probably get mad at you if you removed them from their living environment.”

Naoki puffed out her cheeks, and pursed her lips. “Somehow, I knew you were gonna say that. But okay Big Bro, if you think that’s for the best.” She ran over to put the roses back. But as she did she bent down and said, “I’m sorry, roses. You gotta stay here, and grow big and strong. Just like me!” 

Rantaro smiled. _I bet Koemi and Naoki got along great together_. 

He noticed Reika staring at him. “Hmm?” 

“Ah, I was just wondering what it’s like to have siblings…” Reika answered.

“Well...that’s kind of a hard question to answer. It’s different for everybody.” Rantaro replied. _Although, if you have twelve sisters like me, then you’ve got a lot of responsibility on your hands_.

“Yeah...I guess so.” Reika agreed.

They watched as Naoki came running back over to them. Seeing as they had no more need to stay here any longer, they left, and passed through the dark hallway once again. When they emerged they were surprised to find Minoru, Kenji, and Hiikari there. Naoki came over and clasped Minoru’s hands.

“I forgot to say this earlier, but I wanna help you!” Naoki announced.

Minoru blinked rapidly several times. “I beg your pardon?”

Naoki stared at the floor. “It’s just that...I noticed that you’re often alone recently. And...I don’t want something bad to happen to you like it did with Ayumi…”

Minoru’s eyebrows furrowed. He knelt down so that he was eye level with Naoki. “Thank you, Miss Kuge. I’d love that.”

Naoki grinned. “Yayyy!! I’m hyped! You seem kind of fun to be around! I wanna know what you’ve done as a butler!!”

Minoru rose to his feet, clasping their hands. “Ah, it’s a rather long story. I don’t think you’d really want to hear it.”

Naoki puffed out her cheeks. “But I wanna!”

Minoru chuckled. “All right, I suppose I can tell you a little.”

Rantaro watched as the pair walked off together, Naoki skipping and twirling as she went. _In a lot of ways...she’s still a little kid,_ Rantaro remarked. _Well...she _is_ the youngest sister I have here, though_.

Reika turned to him, and did a little bow. “Well, I should probably get going myself. Exploring was fun! I hope we can do something as fun as that again sometime.” And then she was off too, hurrying away. Soon only Rantaro, Hiikari, and Kenji were left.

_Did she do that on purpose? If so, then I guess she’s really observant_.

No one seemed eager to start the conversation. They all just stood there awkwardly, in the light of the rising moon. _I guess it’s up to me, then. Today...I’m gonna fulfill my promise to you, Toshi_.  
He’d promised Toshi that he’d take care of everyone from here on out, especially Kenji and Hiikari. More than anything, he could see how much these two needed him right now. _Starting today, I’m going to look out for these two, and anyone else that needs my help or support_.

But before he could open his mouth, Kenji spoke up. “You don’t need to say it,” Kenji said. “Knowing my brother, I know what he’s asked of you. And...I’ll accept your offer.”

Hiikari nodded. “I-I don’t think I could’ve fully helped Kenji anyway...so--”

Rantaro shook his head. “No, Hiikari, I think you could. But...Toshi also asked me to take of you too, you know?”

The sides of Hiikari’s metallic scarf flashed. “Toto...really said that?” she asked. There was an unreadable expression in her pale blue eyes.

“He did. After all, as the leader, it’s my responsibility to take care of you guys. And...hopefully we can prevent another killing from ever happening.” Rantaro answered.

He didn’t want to lose anyone else. Toshi and Hiikari were already going through so much as it was. But, deep inside, he knew it was probably inevitable. This was a Killing Game, after all. And sooner or later, Monokuma would present another motive. And someone...would no doubt be tempted by that motive. But maybe, just maybe, if he clung to a small hope, they could prevent it this time. _Otherwise...I’ll have my own broken promise to patch up, too, Ayumi_. 

Kenji snorted. “Well, I highly doubt that. But you can try, all you like, _Leader_.”

Rantaro laughed. “Haha, thanks. But there is one thing that I know how to do.” In that moment, Rantaro found himself reaching out his arms, and embracing the two of them. He smiled when they returned his hug.

“You moron,” Kenji grumbled. “Can’t everyone stop hugging me today? It’s so annoying.”

Hiikari giggled, the first time Rantaro had heard her do that in a while. “B-But it’s kind of fun. And plus...it’s the only way we really know how to show support.”

Kenji sighed. “Ugh, this is completely idiotic. I don’t know why I returned this hug.”

“From now on,” Rantaro began. “Let’s meet up together. As _friends_.”

“ _Fine_ ,” Kenji agreed hesitantly. “But you better have some sugar cookies.”

“A-And you better...tell some jokes!” Hiikari added.

The things they’d both asked of him right now...were in Toshi’s memory. By keeping him in their memory, and doing things in his memory… he knew Toshi would be touched. Although, he’d probably just laugh it off and say he wasn’t good enough to deserve something like that. 

_But you _are_ good enough, Toshi. Otherwise, these two wouldn’t be who they are now...Toshi, as much as you probably didn’t believe it...you helped them in your own way. And...you helped me too. So...thank you_.

“Okay, okay. I promise.” Rantaro agreed. “It’s the least I can do. And...I’m sorry for everything. I don’t know if this will help, but I hope it can. I’m just glad...we got to know the Super High School Level Generosity.”


End file.
